America’s Fitness Problem

By: David Caparosa

Would you take physical education if it was an elective?Why?

Did you know…

In Tennessee gym class is an elective.Mississippi is the most obese state in

America.Flordia does not require PE for grades k-8.

A good choice…

Luckily for us, PA is one of the more physically fit states.

Pennsylvania

Required to take physical education grades k-12 to graduate.

Health is required part.Many state schools require swimming.Summer school includes Physical

education.

Thesis

Physical Education standards must be taken more seriously in order to help stop childhood obesity.

Obesity on the rise…

Sixteen percent of children from ages sixteen to nineteen are obese.

Around thirty percent of the entire nation’s population is obese.

In the past thirty years obesity rated have doubled in children ranging from the ages two to eleven. Even worse, they have tripled in the age range of twelve to nineteen.

Obesity Video

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6069484n

Obesity can cause…

High blood pressureHeart diseaseStrokeDiabetes

It can happen to anyone…

Countries obesity rates

# 6   Australia: 21.7%  # 7   New Zealand: 20.9%  # 8   Hungary: 18.8%  # 9   Luxembourg: 18.4%  # 10   Czech Republic: 14.8%

Countries obesity rates

# 1   United States: 30.6%  # 2   Mexico: 24.2%  # 3   United Kingdom: 23%  # 4   Slovakia: 22.4%  # 5  Greece: 21.9% 

Proof

Studies have shown a link between childhood fitness and physical education programs.

California students who exercised for twenty minutes during gym were leaner .

One-hour increase in physical education per week decreased body mass index.

English 12 says…

32 out of the 40 people asked say they do not take gym seriously.

36 of the 40 said they would not take gym if it was an elective.

30 of the 40 students feel physical education is a good source of exercise.

Continued…

Many in the class felt that gym was the only necessary type of physical education.

This leaves out health and swimming.

Why their necessary…

It is important to take health to learn how the body functions.

Swimming is a great way to exercise and gain strength in your core.

Look familiar?

Lack of exercise…

Many kids do not take gym class.They instead choose to sit and watch.Some gym classes don’t allow kids to

exercise…

How about now?

How can we stop this?

Teachers need to be more strict.Students need to be more productive.The national standards need to increase.

At an early age…

Children should be working to stay in shape…

Ways to stay in shape

Run/JogLiftYoga(The amount of these three depend on the

age)

If not…

Once a child is obese is is very hard to loose the weight.

Many children have self confidence issues once they are overweight at a young age.

Other childhood obesity factors…

Eating Habits.Choice of foods.Genetics

Surprisingly…

25 percent of the entire population of high school students are too obese to join the army.

Who’s helping…

NFL's Play 60 campaign, which urges kids to be active for at least 60 minutes each day.

Teachers play the biggest role.

Gym class is needed daily to prevent unhealthy weights.

Gym class should be at least a half and hour of activity.

Teachers need to be productive.

Time for change

For the future…

Would you want your children to participate in physical education now knowing this?

Your thoughts

Do you now feel that physical education should be required?

Why?

Why I choose this

This topic interest me very much.It is an important topic in the nation today.I feel I can help with this when I become a

physical education teacher.

Conclusion

Physical education can play a huge role in the fight against obesity. With cooperation between students, and teachers together, they can help stop childhood obesity.