The youth today seem to lack the physical resilience of those from previous generations, say online forum participants. -- ST FILE PHOTO

Is the obsession with the Internet and computer games leading to a generation who exercise only their fingers and are not as fit as they should be?

These questions are being asked in online forums as Singaporeans grapple with last week's deaths of two young men.

On Tuesday, full-time national serviceman Andrew Cheah Wei Siong, 20, fainted and later died while on a 2km walk.

A day later, trainee pilot Clifton Lam Jia Hao, also 20, collapsed during jungle training in Brunei and later died.

The trainee was posthumously given the rank of Second-Lieutenant and awarded the pilot's 'wings'.

While Recruit Cheah was mildly obese, 2nd Lt Lam was physically fit. Their deaths are being investigated.

While stressing that only the official inquiries can determine the causes of their deaths, doctors interviewed noted that sudden cardiac death - when there is an abrupt loss of heart function in someone with heart disease - cannot be ruled out, at least in one of the incidents.

Heatstroke is also a potentially fatal heat-related injury. They noted that Brunei's jungles are very hot and humid.

Although sudden cardiac death may only hit someone with an underlying heart disease, doctors said a person's physical fitness level may affect the likelihood of him succumbing to both of these conditions.

Dr Ben Tan, head and senior consultant sports physician at Changi Sports Medicine Centre, said: 'When you are less fit, you are at a higher risk of these conditions.'

Someone who is less fit will need to exert his body more to perform at the same level physically as someone who is fitter. This means a greater strain on the less fit.

Doctors, however, also pointed out that even fit and active people can succumb to sudden cardiac death and heatstroke.

Some netizens, however, wanted to go into whether the two deaths reflected a deeper problem in Singapore.

Blogger Rozann Phua wrote in her blog: 'The generation of today definitely cannot compare with the one in the old days. People (then) could withstand the 'poorer living conditions'...Evidently, people (today) are not as resilient.'

Another netizen referred to the sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet seen today.

Going by the name CitizenSoldier, he wrote in The Straits Times online forum: 'Young boys nowadays are too pampered and indulge in too many computer games, or rather are not used to outdoor activities...Sudden physical stress will just kill some of them.'

Another wrote: 'In the past, kids...(were) running here and there. Now kids are sitting in front of the computer playing games, doing homework, and eating...So much fast food, how to be healthy?'

Some even asked if physical education (PE) in schools was adequate in preparing the youth for national service.

The Sunday Times asked sports doctors, fitness instructors and PE teachers if it was true youngsters today are too soft.

Most cautioned against jumping into any conclusions from the recent deaths.

They added that it is difficult to assess the physical fitness of today's youth as there are many aspects to consider.

Dr Patrick Goh, a consultant sports physician from SportsMed Central at Gleneagles Hospital, suggested looking at the passing rate of the National Physical Fitness Award (Napfa) - the national standard for fitness and a test which all non-tertiary students must take - to gauge the level of fitness among the young here.

The Ministry of Education was unable to provide Napfa data at press time.

Others, like Dr K.C. Ang, a sports and orthopaedic surgeon at Gleneagles Hospital, argued that young people are in fact fitter today compared with a few years ago.

He noted that the young here are taking part in activities like biking and wakeboarding. Endurance sports events like triathlons and marathons have even been organised for children over the last few years, others pointed out.

Still, going by anecdotal evidence, some fitness instructors and PE teachers said it does seem like the young today may not be as fit.

Ms Joan Liew, 32, a fitness instructor, raised the issue of obesity among children here.

About a decade ago, only 2.8 per cent of students here were classified as severely overweight. Last year, the figure had increased to 3.6 per cent despite a drop in the proportion of overweight students from about 11 per cent in 1994 to 9.5 per cent last year.

A primary school PE teacher, who did not want to be named, said children spend less time outdoors now. 'A lot of their free time is spent in front of their computers.'

Another secondary school PE teacher, who also declined to be named, said children today are 'more pampered'. Many schools would avoid PE lessons in the afternoon, something almost unheard of in the past, he said.

However, some PE teachers say there is a higher level of participation among students during PE lessons now, partly due to the more holistic and structured programme they have.

Besides physical conditioning, which involves drills like running, students also pick up game skills like basketball and soccer.

One PE teacher said: 'So long as children are in school, the situation is not so bad. But what happens after that?'

Those interviewed advised young men to take up some form of physical training before NS enlistment.

But all agreed that instilling an active and healthy lifestyle from young is best.

'If your child stays in his room to play computer games all day, or starts putting on a lot of weight, something is wrong. Don't take it as the norm,' Dr Tan said.

Are the young not as physically rugged as they should be? Send your views to suntimes@sph.com.sg