The purpose of this integrative review of research is to contribute to knowledge about the relation between teaching physical education (PE) and discourses of body weight. The review consists of summarising and synthesising features focusing on how discourses on the relation between teaching PE and body weight in scientific literature in different…

Purpose: Over the last couple of decades, health has become a central part of the subject content in physical education (PE) curricula in many countries. As a result, issues of health have been foregrounded much more clearly in the teaching of PE. The aim of this study was to explore how Swedish PE teachers make sense of health in relation to…

This article aims to show and make explicit the exclusion sometimes experienced by children with disabilities and obesity in physical activity (PA) and physical education (PE). Using empirical data from our previous qualitative work, we have engaged in a process of creative writing to present a tale that exhibits how exclusion is experienced by…

Few fat kids enjoy physical education in school. Uniforms that do not fit, activities that have not been modified for fat bodies, taunting from peers and anti-fat bias from teachers, all of these result in a hostile environment that removes the joy associated with movement and exercise for fat kids. This is further reinforced as they are taught…

As obesity rates rise among youth, physical education classrooms have become a resource for teaching children how to make lifelong changes that will lead to improved overall health. In addition, new curricula and government mandates are focusing on health-related fitness content and its application to lifelong fitness. As these components become…

Education has the ability to both reproduce and transform broader social structures. Yet, teachers' responsibilities are constantly increasing whilst budgets, resources, and staffing are depleted. We argue that we are living in a time of great uncertainty and precarity. As physical educators, we should make attempts to be socially conscious of…

Although outdoor play has been widely recognised for the many benefits it affords children, some have rationalised the need for it based on goals related to physical health. More specifically, these instrumental goals have been closely related to obesity, overweight, and/or physical (in)activity. Adhering to obesity discourses and the notion of a…

Students who are overweight or obese generally have low physical ability and fitness levels, experience serious weight-related health implications, are teased and excluded by their peers, and suffer psycho-social and emotional damages as a result of weight stigma. Overweight and obese students have presented an unprecedented challenge for teachers…

Approximately half of the children in the United States do not meet the global physical activity guidelines, and many children adopt sedentary lifestyles. Given the fact about two-thirds children are classified as overweight or obese, traditional video games have been blamed as a major contributor to children's sedentary behavior and excessive…

Overweight and obese students are often socially and instructionally excluded from physical education and school physical activity opportunities. This article describes teaching strategies from a study of middle school physical education teachers who are committed to providing effective teaching and positive experiences for overweight and obese…

Due to the growing obesity epidemic in the United States, educators must consider new ways to increase physical activity in an effort to address obesity. There are a variety of ways educators can increase physical activity in the classroom, and exergames--video games that require physical movement in order to play--are a modern-day approach to…

Wearable technology has made a positive impact in the consumer industry with its focus on adult fitness. Devices and applications are pervasive, inexpensive and are in high demand. Our nation struggles with obesity and health concerns related to poor fitness. However, the research on such technology has been more focused on adults. Therefore, the…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of classroom-based physical activity interventions that integrate academic content and assess the effectiveness of the interventions on physical activity, learning, facilitators of learning, and health outcomes. Method: Six electronic databases (ERIC, PubMed, Google Scholar,…

Sedentary behaviors contribute to the obesity epidemic in this country and physical educators can play an important role in the battle to improve the quality of life of our citizens. Motor skill competency is a substantive factor in a person's decision to be active or not, and a quality physical education program can tip the balance in favor of…

Obesity among children and teens continues to be a major public health concern in the United States. Approximately 16.9% of children and adolescents age 2-19 years are obese. To address this epidemic, schools have been encouraged to develop a coordinated school health program, which includes an interdisciplinary approach to nutrition education.…