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Childhood Obesity in Schools

Childhood Obesity in Schools. Affects on Education. By: Tammera Joy. Cause for Concern. The number of overweight and obese students have consistently been on the rise. There has been many studies that have linked weight issues to learning problems.

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Childhood Obesity in Schools

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  1. Childhood Obesityin Schools Affects on Education By: Tammera Joy

  2. Cause for Concern • The number of overweight and obese students have consistently been on the rise. • There has been many studies that have linked weight issues to learning problems. • Not enough “serious” emphasis has been placed on this topic in schools.

  3. Number Facts • 64% of Americans are Overweight or Obese! • 1 out of 4 Arkansas High School students are either overweight or at risk of being overweight. • 65% of obese 5-10 year olds have a minimum of one cardiovascular risk factor and 25% have two or more • Parental obesity more than doubles the risk of adult obesity among both obese and non-obese children under age 10.

  4. Number Facts(cont) • This generation of obese children may have a lifespan 10 years shorter than that of their parents. • Behavioral and psychological problems have been related to childhood obesity. Obese children are twice as likely to be in special education than their non-obese counterparts.

  5. How Fitness Links to Education… • Many studies show that as Fitness scores improve, so do academic scores.(International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity • Some students can find an activity time as a good way to use extra energy in order to concentrate more while in class.

  6. How Fitness Links to Education… • “The Harvard Medical School Guide to Achieving Optimal Memory” states that cardiovascular fitness can be a big influence on memory. • Fitness can affect our bodies learning systems in many ways • Providing proper oxygen flow to the brain • Increased blood flow • Increased density of synapses

  7. What are we currently doing? • Arkansas mandates at least 60 minutes of physical education and instruction and 90 minutes of physical activity per week in grades K-6 • The state requires schools to collect students’ BMI and/or height and weight in grades K, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. Individual results and information on BMI are sent to the parent or guardian of each student.

  8. What are we currently doing? • In grades K-6, a licensed and/or qualified physical education teacher must directly supervise physical education instruction. • State law has currently banned elementary campuses from having vending machines with coke and candy.

  9. What needs to be done? • All schools need to make sure they are taking a “serious” approach to Physical Education! • Many schools still follow the “roll out a bag of balls” method to PE time

  10. What needs to be done? • Schools need to encourage elementary PE classes to participate in a yearly fitness test. • Teachers should have goals set • Short term and Long term. • Reports should be sent home to parents • There should be specific state criteria that each PE program should meet(% of students meeting state standards in fitness testing) • Schools that fail to meet these standards should have to re-evaluate their PE programs.

  11. Conclusion • A properly ran PE department can be the most important part of a nations fight against obesity • There are a lot of steps already put into place to improve fitness in schools, but it needs to be the schools priority to see that their program is pushed in the right direction!

  12. References • http://www.aahperd.org • http://www.achi.net/current_initiatives/BMI_Info/Docs/Obesity_Fact_Sheet_050126%20.pdf • “Harvard Medical School Guide to Achieving Optimal Memory” Nelson, Aaron. McGraw-Hill Professional, Mar 23, 2005

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