Specific Aims And Study Hypotheses

A. Since, grading in PE is focused more on attendance than effort, many students are not

Becoming increasingly more active is vital to combating and reducing obesity in children. Healthful, fitness habits, then, must be jumpstarted at institutions where all American children spend mandatory time, such as in a child’s school; evidently, “normal weight children get 16 more minutes of

First of all, students do not have much knowledge about the different fitness components; they do not understand the relation between the fitness components and health. If students acquire the background knowledge about fitness, it could improve the class engagement and motivation, and increase the independent drive to exercise. Second barrier to students’ achievement is the lack of motivation to be active, and even more difficult, to specific fitness activities, such as sit-ups and push-ups. In today’s society, students spend more time sitting in front a screen and less time moving. Parent and school today have more responsibility making sure the children get enough physical activity. According to the New York Times (2016), “early school physical education (PE) programs can make a significant difference, and the earlier these routines are learned the more likely they will be carried forth into a healthy adulthood”. Another barrier that prevents students’ success is the loss of instructional time due to discipline problems. The classes are too big, with many diverse students with individual problems, which are difficult to address when these issues are from very different backgrounds. Finally, there is not enough support from home affecting not only physical education, but

Schools are required to have at least an hour of physical activity daily. This is enough time as long as the children are actually doing something that is going to help burn some calories. If they don’t do anything that will make them break a little sweat then the whole physical education class is useless. The PE classes don’t only make the children run but they also teach them what they need to do to stay in some kind of shape for later on in their life. Less than 10% of public schools and private schools provide daily PE (Boyse). Another thing that schools can do to promote physical activity is having the children walk or bike to school. The way they would bike would be monitored by the local government and school programs. The parents of the children could walk them to school so not only do the children get exercise but the parents can also workout. By doing this the parents won’t have to sit in traffic and can save gas. After a time the child will get use to walking and will want to walk instead of taking a car. To start this the child needs someone to walk them and keep them doing it.

“The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake” a quote made by the First Lady, Michelle Obama, as she launches her comprehensive initiative to change the way children think about nutrition and physical fitness (“Learn the Facts,” 2010). Three decades ago, children lived active lives that kept them healthier. They walked to and from school, ate home cooked, reasonable portion meals with vegetables and played outdoors most of the time. Today, children ride the bus instead of walk, eat more fast food and snacks throughout the day because parents are busier, and watch more television or play video games rather than be active outside with peers (“Learn the Facts,” 2010). Young children are becoming overweight and obese along with being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes more frequently. They are making poor dietary choices, inadequate physical activity, and spending too much screen time all contributing to the obesity crisis. One of the effective solutions to reversing the trend of childhood obesity is to provide safe, affordable and accessible after-school health and physical fitness educational programs for all school ages across the nation.

“Schools have been recognised as an appropriate setting for the prevention of eating disorders and child obesity due to the continual and concentrated access to a large number of individuals at a developmentally appropriate age” (Yager & O’Dea, 2005). If teachers and health professionals believe that changes need to be made to

The study was conducted in Memphis through a program called, ‘‘Get Fit with the Grizzlies.” The population was every fourth and fifth grade student in MCS during the year of 2006 to 2007. This specific population was targeted due to the extremely high body mass index statistics that were shown compared to other grade levels. Eleven elementary schools in the area were chosen randomly for the “Get Fit” program elevation. The purpose of this study was to create a program in Memphis to decrease obesity in elementary school children and provide them will knowledge of the importance of physical activity and diet in their everyday lives. In 2006, business operations staff for the Memphis Grizzlies, the National Basketball Association franchise for the city, approached MCS district staff to collaborate on a CRM health initiative, titled ‘‘Get Fit with the Grizzlies,’’ with the intent to decrease obesity among the school district’s elementary children. This school-based intervention focused on delivering information concerning physical activity and diet (Irwin, Irwin, Miller, Somes, & Richey, P. A., 2010). This will help my group and I when creating a successful program to increase children’s physical activity and prevent childhood obesity at the Police Activities League.

Obesity in school-age children is a problem in North Carolina. “North Carolina is the 23rd most obese state in the United States for children www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/Data/Texts/Quick%20Facts.pdf – 31.4% of youth in North Carolina are overweight or obese” https://www.healthiergeneration.org/...childhood_obesity/.../north_caroli... (Child Obesity Rate). There is a mandated physical education requirement for school-age children attending public schools in North Carolina. The North Carolina State Board of Education Policy Manual states “that every kindergarten through eighth grade student should be engaged in at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily” (Recess and Physical Activity). In spite of being clearly stated in policy and described in detail, many of the school-age children in North Carolina are still suffering from poor health. Based on the above information and recent research, the North Carolina State Board of Education needs to revise their policy on physical education. The new policy should state that school-age children in North Carolina “should participate every day in 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity that is enjoyable and developmentally appropriate”. By increasing school-age children’s physical activity to 60 minutes a day, the obesity rate of school-age children in North Carolina will reduce.

The schools play an important part in the health of a child, there in schools they learn how to be active, eat healthy, and some schools districts provide a great program fun and fitness, but unfortunately, not all kids that need it participate in those programs, due to the lack of information to the parents.

America's children are not getting enough exercise, and the health risks due to obesity are becoming epidemic in nature. Even First Lady Michelle Obama is supporting an initiative to help children become more active and to provide for exercise (at least 30-60 minutes per day) in all schools. Even limited amounts of exercise can have great health benefits. When humans exercise, the brain produces chemicals that help enhance mood, limit cravings for sugars, and contribute to healthier joints, muscles, the heart, and kidneys. In turn, this translates into more productive work time, the ability to sleep better, increase memory, and reduce dependence on medications. Children are so vulnerable to this health risk that if it continues, over 60% of graduating seniors will be clinically obese. Written by a medical journalist, the book is designed for the lay reader but has a number of documented scholarly sources.

In “Motivating Kids to Move”, the authors of the journal article studied the effect that school teachers and sports stars have on children and the important role they play in motivating children and adolescents to take part in regular physical activity. A survey conducted in America by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) in the year 2000 had children rank teachers and sports stars (72%) second to only parents (92%) as the people they admire most. The statistics provided in the article are sickening as one third of American children are either overweight or obese. The author goes on the mention that these

However, fewer studies have looked at intervention sources. The finding that teacher led physical activity is as effective as external curriculum in increasing student physical activity through activity breaks is consistent with Bershwinger & Brusseau’s (2013) findings which measured increase in activity through pedometers.17

To slow this epidemic of childhood obesity, physical activity needs to be put back in these children’s lives.

Obesity is the condition of being seriously overweight. It is now considered a global health epidemic by the World Health Organization (2000) (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010). Physical activity is important to children in the middle childhood age group because a staggering amount of children have become overweight in the last few decades and teachers play a role in preventing obesity by becoming a positive role model,

There is nothing more important than health, especially in this day and age. It’s concerning that only 29 percent of high school students surveyed by the CDC (2011) had participated in at least 60 minutes of physical activity on all seven days before the survey. The CDC also noted that only 31 percent of these high school students attended physical education class daily. Only 8 percent of elementary schools, 6.4 percent of middle schools, and 5.8 percent of high schools provide daily physical education to all of its students (SHPPS, 2000). The government is missing the fact that physical education can actually improve test scores, not the opposite.