| Physical Exercise and Education - The Most Natural | | | | Our research has come up with some interesting |
| Remedy For Avoiding Childhood Obesity | | | | facts and although subject to further confirmation, |
| In June earlier this year, "The Shape of the Nation | | | | the good news is that the majority of states require |
| Report: Status of Physical Education in the USA" was | | | | that students must take physical education. However, |
| published by the National Association for Sport and | | | | as alluded to earlier in this article, a major loophole |
| Physical Education (NASPE) and the American Heart | | | | exists in over half of all states. Other key findings |
| Association (AHA), showing that while the majority | | | | include: |
| of states mandate Physical Education (PE), two | | | | -- Only five states (Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, New |
| material deficiencies exist: | | | | Mexico and Vermont) require Physical Education (PE) |
| (i) time requirements; and | | | | in every grade level. |
| (ii) exemptions/waivers; basically, loopholes! | | | | -- Forty-eight states have their own state standards |
| Having regard to recent increasing attention paid to | | | | for PE but only 34 states have a compliance |
| childhood obesity prevention initiatives, law-makers | | | | requirement to operate to these standards. |
| and those responsible for policy making at schools | | | | -- Only 19 states have a requirement for PE student |
| are able to and must be part of the solution by | | | | assessment. |
| correcting these deficiencies in these policies. | | | | -- Forty-three percent of states allow permit earning |
| In our present modern times, many are the | | | | of credits in PE through online courses. |
| medications and techniques available to minimize heart | | | | -- Fewer states (14 as against 22 in 2006) include PE |
| disease and cardiac concerns including not least the | | | | grades in the calculation of students' grade point |
| now affordable home blood pressure monitors but | | | | averages.. |
| trying the time-tested basic approaches of old to | | | | -- Thirteen states employ students' Body Mass Index |
| avoid the issues arising in the first place would surely | | | | and/or height and weight figures for guidance as to |
| be a no-brainer. It seems utterly straight forward to | | | | exercise requirements. |
| a reasonable thinking person but by managing to | | | | It has been recommended by the National |
| side-step Physical Exercise and Education in the | | | | Association for Sport and Physical Education and The |
| school curriculum, schools of the USA, or at least "the | | | | American Heart Association that 225 minutes per |
| powers that be" who run the schools, are clearly | | | | week of instructional physical education be provided |
| demonstrating through their actions, or perhaps we | | | | by schools for middle and high school students and |
| should say lack of action, that they do not | | | | 150 minutes per week for elementary school children. |
| necessarily agree! Physical exercise is one of the | | | | throughout the school year. |
| most basic, proven routes to achieving good health | | | | The American Heart Association strongly supports |
| and you will find few, if any, prepared to openly | | | | state and federal legislation to make PE an integral |
| disagree with this common sense approach. Time will | | | | part of the curriculum and measures to strengthen |
| ultimately be the judge but it could well be shown | | | | school wellness policies. Introduced in February 2010, |
| that the medium to long term effects caused by lack | | | | The First Lady's "Let's Move" campaign also provides |
| of physical exercise and education will prove costly in | | | | a solid foundation for improving quality Physical |
| terms of money as well as the human cost. | | | | Exercise and Education as children become more |
| It is perhaps worrying that an a vital component of | | | | active during the day. Healthy children learn more |
| the school day has been relegated to the bottom of | | | | effectively and achieve more academically according |
| the pile as a rising number of states fail to include | | | | to various research projects. An uphill battle is faced |
| quality Physical Education into elementary and middle | | | | by too many children to be more physically active |
| schools. The 2010 Report shows a disturbing lack of | | | | with the need for more opportunities before and |
| progress in helping children build healthy bodies and | | | | after school to get their heart pumping. We must do |
| healthy minds. in spite of gradual improvements | | | | more to reverse this trend by urging states and local |
| towards making PE an obligatory part of the school | | | | school districts to step up their requirements to |
| curriculum, shamefully in the writer's opinion, increasing | | | | improve children's health and their outlook for a long, |
| numbers of states have been taking advantage of | | | | heart-healthy life. |
| legal loopholes to avoid including PE the school year, | | | | The "Let's Move" ambitious headline is "America's |
| and no progress has been made in requiring daily | | | | Move to Raise a Healthier generation of Kids" and |
| Physical Exercise, across all grades. What with | | | | that really sums up the issue in one sentence. Check |
| childhood obesity rates climbing alongside rising cases | | | | back at this site soon when we will be presenting an |
| of high blood pressure and cholesterol issues, all being | | | | article on the "Let's Move" project. Given the |
| factors implicated in heart disease and stroke, this is | | | | patronage of the President and his First Lady, there |
| not time to be shying away from efforts to make | | | | is cause for optimism. |
| physical education a priority in our nation's schools. | | | | |