A world-renowned athletics' coach has called for a radical review of physical education in Scotland's schools in an attempt to improve the nation's chronic health problems and tackle the crisis gripping Scottish sport.

The recommendation to force every pupil to take an hour's exercise each day comes as the national rugby squad returned home with the wooden spoon after being humiliated in the Six Nations Championship.

It also follows abysmal performances by the national football side in recent years and an impending Olympic Games in which the country will be relying on minority sports for any hope of winning a medal.

In addition to the decline in Scottish sport, there are increasing concerns about the state of the nation's health. Scotland has the highest level of childhood asthma in the world, record levels of obesity and the same average life expectancy as India and Iraq in some of Glasgow's inner city housing estates, with men living 14 years less than the UK average.

The shocking snapshot has sparked calls for the Scottish Executive to create a separate government department for sport, health and exercise, which is currently included in the tourism and culture portfolio, and for a review of the national funding body, Sportscotland.

Frank Dick, president of the European Athletics' Coaches Association, has coached Boris Becker, Daley Thompson, Justin Rose and Marat Safin. He is a board member of the Scottish Institute of Sport and is alarmed at the decline of Scottish sport.

Of the malaise in the national football and rugby sides, he blamed the import of foreign players, which, he said, has switched off motivation among young Scots. However, he insisted there are some talented young players coming through who need to be nurtured and properly supported.

On the wider issue of participation in sport, he predicted that obesity-related illnesses would create an overwhelming burden on the NHS in future years unless urgent action is taken.

'Scotland has one of the most serious obesity problems in the world which could cripple the NHS in 30 years' time unless radical steps are taken to make physical activity part of every young person's life.

'In every school in Scotland every child should have to do one hour's physical activity every day. I can understand why head teachers would give sport low priority because their targets are based purely on academic results. But science and English are not going to keep the next generation alive.'

A PE review group, set up by the Scottish Executive, recently recommended that every primary school child should be provided with a minimum of two hours of physical education each week. The executive has so far refused to confirm whether it will implement the recommendation.

Fiona Hyslop, the SNP's education spokeswoman, has urged the Government to increase the provision of sport in school and has been highly critical of the national funding body, Sportscotland, which she claimed is too bureaucratic and exclusive.

'The system isn't working,' she said. 'It is making a mockery of the long-standing Sport for All philosophy. We need to wake up and start offering more than just soundbites.'

Phil Anderton, the recently appointed chief executive of Scottish Rugby Union, lamented the decline of Scottish sport. 'In the 1970s and 1980s, whenever I went on holiday, the locals would say: 'Ah yes, Scotland. The country of Dalglish and Souness. The nation of Andy Irvine and the Hastings brothers.' Now, they just look puzzled or offer us sympathy.'

He said politicians and sports officials must work together to address the nation's health and sporting problems. He also recommended starting the search for talented youngsters earlier and supported calls for the creation of a new government department dedicated to sport, health and exercise.

'In France, they pick out their best footballers at age 12 and send them to a special school. That system produced Zidane, Henry and Pires. Why not introduce that in Scotland?'

Speaking at the opening of Scotland's first indoor athletics academy last Thursday, Frank McAveety, the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Culture, admitted the national sides' recent performances in football and rugby had been depressing.

However, he insisted the executive was committed to improving participation in sport.

'In terms of the main team sports, there have been disappointing results in the past year or two and there's no doubt that we've not been producing the same scale of players that were emerging into English and Scottish football in the 1970s.

'But we have big ambitions and will be announcing a substantial development in youth development football.

'There are also a number of players emerging on the national side, playing for Manchester United, Celtic and Rangers and we can take a glint of confidence from the fact that in Celtic's match against Barcelona, the best performance came from a young Scot from the east end of Glasgow.

'Yes, we recognise that Scottish sport is not in the state we would all want it to be in.

'It's a challenge - to get the nation more active - but we are working on it and it's worth remembering that it is a challenge, which is not unique to Scotland.'