Background: Recess is at the heart of a vigorous debate over the role of schools in promoting optimal child development and well-being. Reallocating time to accentuate academic concerns is a growing trend and has put recess at risk. Conversely, pressure to increase activity in school has come from efforts to combat childhood obesity. The purpose…

"Making a Difference in the Classroom: The Reality and Truth of Teaching in Schools Today" makes the case that our schools will continue to struggle until we take an honest approach to what we know works in the classroom. This book is a frank discussion about what teachers face and what teacher candidates should know before they enter…

Children in the United States are less active and more overweight today than at any time in history, and there has been a dramatic increase in obesity. Obesity can lead to physical and psychological health issues. Many adults recognize the health issues that can stem from childhood obesity, but may not be aware of the clear implication of the…

Statewide physical fitness testing is gaining popularity in the United States because of increased childhood obesity levels, the relations between physical fitness and academic performance, and the hypothesized relations between adult characteristics and childhood physical activity, physical fitness, and health behaviors. Large-scale physical…

Gaming equipment (such as Nintendo's Wii[TM]) is making its way to schools and classrooms. However, most of the discussion regarding how to use this technology and integrate it into lesson plans is happening in blogs on the Internet. An advocate of interactive media in the classroom, Dr. Dawn Hawkins, a faculty member for the Art Institute of…

To curb the epidemic of obesity in the United States, revised Medicare policy allows support for efficacious obesity treatments. This review summarizes the evidence from rigorous randomized trials (9 lifestyle trials, 5 drug trials, and 2 surgical trials) on the efficacy and risk-benefit profile of lifestyle, drug, and surgical interventions aimed…

Schools have the potential to foster healthy behaviors among youths through sound health and physical education programs. Teacher candidates who are being certified through teacher preparation programs should take a course on basic wellness and exercise principles, in order to prepare themselves to teach those principles to all school faculty…

Background: Few studies have examined physical activity during the transition from high school to college. Purpose: To examine changes in physical activity and physical activity patterns among females during the transition from high school to college. Methods: Sixty-nine females (age 18.2 [plus or minus] 0.4 years; body mass index 21.8 [plus or…

Children's fitness levels are decreasing at an alarming rate. The Centers for Disease Control has determined that approximately 33% of children do not regularly engage in vigorous physical activity (CDC, 2002). As a result, childhood obesity has increased 100% since 1980 in the United States due to physical inactivity (CDC, 2004). A well-planned…

For the first time ever, Citizen Through Sports Alliance (CTSA) convened a panel of youth sports experts from across the country to evaluate youth sports in the United States and articulate its successes and failures. The panel evaluated only community-based youth sports programs, focusing on those that serve children ages 6 to 14. The panel is…

The greatest health risk facing children today is obesity. The prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States has risen dramatically in the past several decades. Because children on the average spend up to five or six hours a day involved in sedentary activities, including excessive time watching television, using the computer and playing…

The Surgeon General's report on physical activity and health provides abundant evidence that physical activity plays a role in helping to prevent and treat coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, hypertension, depression, and obesity. While adolescents are generally not directly at risk for such diseases, the habit of exercise begins to…

Since engagement in physical activity is now identified as an important outcome for students, teachers need to assess their students in ways that measure that behavior. Assessment serves many purposes in an educational setting. It can provide feedback, drive instructional needs, and evaluate outcomes of both students and programs. If done…

Facts and figures about the growth of the physical fitness phenomenon in the United States are discussed. Millions participate in physical fitness activities and programs, and billions are spent on fitness. Better leadership, facilities, and programs are available than ever before. (PP)

This paper analyzes sport and fitness malpractice suits in the United States and Canada, emphasizing the responsibility of doctors, along with some application to physiotherapists, trainers, or athletic therapists. The number of suits is felt to be limited but growing rapidly in both countries. The issues discussed include duty to patients…