California Educator

February 09

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unhealthy state kids The of our Test — which measures cardiovascular endurance, body fat percentage, strength and flexibility — shows students are a long way from being healthy. But they are taking small steps toward fitness and bet- ter health. Students in all three grade levels that were tested showed a slight increase from the previous year, with 28.5 percent of fifth-graders, 32.9 percent of seventh- graders and 35.6 percent of ninth-graders achieving the “healthy fitness zone” in all areas. The biggest increase — up 5.5 per- cent from last year — was for ninth-grad- ers, which is attributed to a new state law that requires freshman to pass five of six fitness tests or take more than two years of PE to graduate. Naturally, there has been an intense push to prepare freshmen to pass the test, although some argue that every student should be required to take physical education all four years in order to maintain good health. Teaching PE may be a requirement in California, but it’s not a priority at many schools, es- pecially those un- der enormous pres- sure to raise test scores. Often it is barely “squeezed in” or practically ignored — even though numerous studies show that students perform Phil Barletto Corning Elementary Faculty Association better academically when they are physi- cally active. California requires 200 minutes of PE per 10 school days in grades 1-6 and 400 minutes per 10 school days in grades 7-12 for most students. The National Associa- tion for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) reports that the California re- quirements are seldom met. In 2005, 48 percent of elementary schools and 24 per- cent of middle and high schools did not comply with these PE minute require- ments. Elementary classroom teachers pro- vided only about 30 minutes per week of PE, far below the 200 mandated minutes. While students are supposed to be physically active for 50 percent of PE class time, observations show that children spend less than 50 percent of that time physically active. Even with state fitness tests, the state’s PE standards are vague and confusing, comments Phil Barletto, a PE specialist at Maywood Middle School in Corning. “They tell you that you have to do some- thing, but not how to do it, so sometimes standards are not properly addressed.” Barletto, a member of the Corning El- ementary Faculty Association, has made it easier by taking all of the sixth-grade California PE standards and dividing them into sports and specific skills. In february 2009 | www.cta.org 9 > One-third of American children are overweight, and one-fi fth are obese. Studies show they will likely become overweight adults. > Obesity rates are highest among low-income Californians of African American, Latino, American Indian and Pacifi c Islander descent. > Over 20 years, overweight levels have doubled in children and tripled in teens. > Obese children are more than twice as likely to have type 2 diabetes as children of normal weight. Experts warn that one in three American children could suffer type 2 diabetes during their lifetime. > Today’s generation of children could become the fi rst in modern history whose lifespan is less than that of their parents. > The American Heart Association reported recently that obese children as young as 10 had the arteries of 45-year-olds and other heart abnormalities that greatly raise their risk of heart disease. Almost all had abnormal cholesterol. > Childhood obesity has been linked to abnormal enlargement of the left atrium, a chamber in the heart — a known risk factor for heart disease and stroke. > It was recently reported in U.S. News and World Report that use of prescription medication has “dramatically” increased among children to treat diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol, depression and attention defi cit disorder — a phenomenon caused by increasing child obesity. > No Child Left Behind has contributed to student inactivity by reducing the amount of time available for physical education and causing the elimination of recess in many schools, says the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. > Studies link physical activity to academic achievement and attendance. Schools with a high percentage of students who do not routinely engage in physical activity or eat healthy food had smaller gains in test scores than other schools.

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