I'M READY TO SPEAK UP!

           Obesity in children is a highly discussed issue which encompasses multiple factors such as genetics, sedentary behaviors, unhealthy physical and social environments and the lack of health education. During 2009-2010, 16.9% of children and adolescents from 2-19 years of age were obese (National Association for Sport and Physical Education [NASPE], & American Heart Association [AHA], 2012). Sedentary lifestyles and poor eating behaviors are becoming the norm; 71% of students did not routinely engage in physical activity for 60 minutes every day. Only 20% of students ate vegetables two or more times per day and 11% drank soda pop three or more times per day during the 7 days before the study (The Society for Public Health Education, [SOPHE], 2010c). A child’s school environment ”encourages the availability of unhealthy food options through vending machines, school stores and snack bars” (Action for Healthy Kids, 2008, p.4).  Research has shown that children K-12 are not receiving the adequate amount of physical activity at school. Studies state 7.5% of K-5 schools nationwide provide the 360 cumulative hours for health education, 10.3% of grades 6-8 in schools nationwide provide the recommended 240 cumulative hours and 6.5% of high schools provide the recommended 320 cumulative  hours (Auld et al., 2013).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             Poor health behaviors due to sedentary behaviors, unhealthy physical and social environments and the lack of health education are prevalent within the state of Missouri. Of Missouri’s children aged 2 years to less than 5 years, 16.2% were overweight and 13.6% were obese. On an average school day, 32.4% of children watch television for 3 or more hours (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2012). Within Missouri “the percentage of secondary schools in which students can purchase food or beverages from one or more vending machines at school or at a school store, canteen or snack bar have declined from 89.6% in 2002 to 79.5% in 2012, but only 8.8% always offered fruits or non-fried vegetables” (Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education [MDESE], & Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services [MDHSS], 2012, p.7; CDC, 2013). Data suggests that only 33.1% of Missouri adolescents attended daily physical education classes in an average week (when they were in school) (CDC, 2013).

 

            Physical activity and health education are being pushed to the back burner within schools for multiple reasons; legislation, funding and lack of monitoring and evaluation. Legislation such as the “No Child Left Behind Act stated “core academic subjects” include English, reading or language arts, math, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history and geography but left out physical/health education” (NASPE, 2010, p.4). Curriculum focusing only on the outcomes such as grades, achievement scores, graduation and college attendance does not create a well-balanced child (SOPHE, 2010b). Insufficient funding and staffing for physical education programs have been a big factor in cutting physical education programs from school schedules. The lack of funding for basic equipment is a significant barrier for both physical education class and other physical activity programs. Due to these cuts only 7 out of 10 elementary school children have recess every day (Action for Healthy Kids, 2008).  Evaluation is crucial because the results and data can be used to inform stakeholders about students’ progress and success (SOPHE, 2010b, p.2). Evaluation also enables stakeholders to more accurately assess progress, develop and improve ongoing targeted intervention strategies (Action for Healthy Kids, 2008, p.5). That being said, only one state, Kansas, continually monitored their wellness and physical education policies. Missouri does not require schools or districts to provide their local school wellness policy to the state education agency (NASPE, 2012, p.1).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

              If the lack of sufficient physical and health education are not fixed, children will experience negative short and long-term health effects. Poor nutrition, physical inactivity and obesity are associated with lower student achievement, which sets children up for poor achievement throughout their lives (Action for Healthy Kids, 2008, p.3).  Overweight adolescents have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults (SOPHE, 2010d). Some researchers have suggested that the prevalence of obesity among children currently at 16.9% will reach 30% by 2030 (AAHPERD, 2012). Obesity is a catalyst to a series of health related issues such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and sleep apnea. Obesity can also affect and individuals quality of life, limiting people from things they normally enjoy, which may result in in depression, social isolation, shame and guilt and lowered work achievement (Mayo Clinic, 2014). If an obese child grows up and is still obese they increase their future children’s risk of being obese because a child has a 50% chance of being obese if one parent is considered obese. The child has an 80% chance of being obese if both parents are obese themselves (University of California San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital, n.d.).  Childhood obesity burdens the economy as well because childhood obesity alone accounts for 3 billion in annual health care costs (SOPHE, 2010d).

 

              There is a general consensus among national education, health, and medical organizations that quality, daily physical activity can be a beneficial component in addressing childhood obesity (Action for Healthy Kids, 2008).  Missouri requires all school districts to implement a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity each week for elementary students (K-6). 45 minutes of physical education for grades 7-8 and “encourages” 225 minutes of physical activity per week. Missouri high schools only require one physical education credit for graduation (NASPE, 2012). Since physical activity can improve students’ ability to learn by enhancing concentration, skills and classroom behavior (Action for Healthy Kids, 2008). Quality health education has been proven to be effective in reducing health risk behaviors including tobacco use, alcohol use, dating aggression and violence and risky sexual behaviors. Quality health education also improves health enhancing behaviors such as increasing physical activity and improving dietary behaviors. K-12 health education can improve a child’s health literacy. Decreasing health literacy is vital to the economy because health literacy costs the U.S. $100-$200 billion a year in medical costs (SOPHE, 2010d).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Some educators and administrators do not view students’ health and wellness as part of their core mission. They feel that teaching nutrition and physical activity are not a part of their responsibilities. Therefore, parents and PTA members must break down this disconnect and direct their concern into meaningful action. (Action for Healthy Kids, 2008, p.4). Parents can contribute to strengthening parent and community support by helping link their child’s school with community agencies supported by professional associations (Auld et al., 2013). For example, in Missouri the professional association Missouri Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (MOAHPERD) “promote quality health and physical education for every child from pre-school through grade 12, so that they develop and continue to practice a  lifetime healthy active lifestyle” (Missouri Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, [MOAHPERD], n.d., para. 2). Organizations like MOAHPERD, organize information, publications and journals to inform advocators about advances in curriculum that aligns with the Show Me Standards and the Health and Physical Education Grade Level Expectations. Other ways for parents to help implementation of physical education in schools is to enforce school districts and boards to frequently check their health education curriculum to the national standards. Parents play an integral role advocating for physical education because they are very familiar with the cultural environment. Parents can reinforce the idea that “culturally relevant programmatic interventions on childhood obesity are implemented with food equity programs such as WIC, food stamps, school breakfast and school lunch programs (SOPHE, 2010a, p.4). the collaborative efforts of parents and schools can generate effective education that promotes the health and safety of children.