EXER 334
Elementary H & PE Methods

A New American Heart Association Scientific Statement Says Schools Should Promote Healthy Lifestyles

A new American Heart Association (AHA) scientific statement, published in the October 12, 2004 issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, calls for more physical education (PE) classes, heart-healthy meals and tobacco-free environments, in preschools, grades K-12 and during after-school programs. According to the AHA, schools should teach and encourage heart-healthy behavior to reduce the number of children who are overweight, physically inactive and engaging in unhealthy habits such as smoking. National data indicates that almost 80 percent of children are not consuming the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day, and 44 percent of high school students are not enrolled in PE classes. The epidemic of obesity in children and adolescents is evidence that an approach is needed that will reach a majority of our children and adolescents. Through schools, virtually all of our nation's youth can be reached, and through youth, both parents and teachers may also be reached. Schools provide many opportunities for shaping nutrition and physical activity behaviors, which influence cardiovascular risk factors, including obesity. You can read the full text of the article here.