Obesity, Children and Physical Education

Today it is not a secret that the United States is overweight. We are still free lands, but from other countries we are considered "obese countries". This is a label we are not proud of and people are realizing this new epidemic called obesity as everyday is beginning to increase. In the article "Childhood obesity in New York City" author Lorna E. Thorpe explains the number and statistics of how many children are really overweight. "According to recent national health nutrition survey results, the obesity rate of children aged 6 to 11 years was 15% between 1999 and 2000" (Thorpe et al.

Obesity children may be more vulnerable in physical education than anywhere in school. Because there are a lot of overweight and obese children, it is clear that it is necessary to rearrange the curriculum of physical education and adjust according to this population. Obesity does not benefit from the lack of physical ability to run. In physical education, you need to take students and more personal ways, identify goals, and design fitness programs to achieve these goals.

Are schools trying to eliminate physical education and rest? As the number of obesity increases, Al Baker has discovered that many schools eliminate physical education and time for children to take a vacation. I remember that at elementary school every day the class had physical education lessons. Once I started to go to junior high school changed. We only participate in semester semester physical education classes. If you do not take physical education lessons, you can choose a physical education lesson.

Taking sports and breaks will also affect the child's body. Students across the country are gaining weight as their school has lowered their sports standards to meet other academic requirements. In 1980, only 5% of school-aged children were overweight; after 20 years this figure surged to 15% (Kemper). This statistic shows how much school-age children have changed, and that situation only gets worse over time. The lack of physical activity both inside and outside the school is an important factor that leads to an increase in obese and overweight children. In Hawaii, one in four children is obese and there is no minimum physical requirement for primary school and junior high school (Kemper). Places that require the most physical education like Hawaii should not approach the requirement to reduce physical education.