Newswise — For some kids, the only exercise they get is during gym class at school, and fewer schoolchildren nationwide are even being offered that option. Future physical education instructors are learning how they can make the most of that valuable time.
"It is no coincidence that as physical education in schools was de-emphasized or eliminated, the incidence of childhood obesity skyrocketed," said Jeffrey Edwards, chairman and professor of the physical education department at Indiana State University, and interim chairperson of athletic training.
With only 25 percent of elementary schools offering daily physical education classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, Edwards says P.E. classes are often an afterthought to administrators in school systems across the country. "Until we re-establish physical education as an important daily activity for school children, physical educators are going to have to be creative and efficient in their delivery of course activity and content under less than optimal conditions," Edwards said. "Our faculty are working hard at preparing students to be smart and effective in their teaching."
To help these future P.E. instructors get an understanding of what activities work well with different age groups, the department invites local elementary school students to campus for an annual P.E. Field Day. The college students design and assemble five activity stations, and assist the energetic youngsters as they scamper through favorites such as parachute games, kickball and an obstacle course.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 19 percent of U.S. children ages 6 to 11 are overweight. Solutions to this epidemic are being sought at several levels. Healthy People 2010, a federal initiative by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, presents 467 objectives to improve the health of Americans by the year 2010.
Tom Nesser, assistant professor of physical education at Indiana State, also is seeking solutions to improve the fitness level of U.S. children, and has received a Promising Scholars grant from the university to pursue a line of research.
In his study, he is evaluating the effectiveness of a community-based childhood obesity treatment program, to see if it can improve the physical activity and dietary patterns of participants.
"Structured exercise is good, but people need to be physically active overall, by spending less time sitting and more time moving," Nesser said. "In addition to well planned and executed P.E. classes, it takes the entire family to increase physical activity levels of children. When the whole family takes a walk after dinner or helps with yard work, the whole family improves their health."
Nesser, who serves on the National Strength and Conditioning Association's Education Committee and is the NSCA state director for Indiana, emphasizes to his undergraduate and graduate students the importance of being part of the solution to this national problem.
"I bring up the issue of childhood obesity to students all the time, and each time I do, I challenge them to come up with a solution," Nesser said. "In class, I teach them the science behind the importance of making physical activity a part of people's lives, but the challenge is getting people to move. We are surrounded by convenience and it is killing us."
Nesser suggests that every P.E. class include the following elements:
- Resistance training: Physical activity should include some type of resistance training such as push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups. Simple body weight exercises can be used to strengthen the muscles, connective tissue and bones. If resistance training equipment is available, maximum lifts should be avoided to prevent injury to the still-developing young body.
- Enjoyment: Physical activity should be fun. Everyone should find what activity they enjoy. When physical activity is fun it does not seem like exercise and children are more likely to do it. Outside of the school gym, the fun factor can increase when the whole family is involved.
- Maximum use of time: In any P.E. class or game children play, there should be little time with no movement. Ideally, children are engaged in activity all of the time (i.e. there is no standing around). P.E. class is important because it helps to offset the hours of inactivity students spend sitting at desks throughout the day.
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