Study suggests adding an hour of PE time may fight child obesity

Houston Chronicle (AP) ^ | 9/7/04 | RICK CALLAHAN

[Rightfootforward]

Well, DUH. Why would anyone need to conduct a "study" to figure that out?

[Squawk 8888]

I've got a better idea- instead of even more mandates in schools and overprogramming of children, STOP DRIVING THE KIDS TO SCHOOL and let them walk!

[RogueIsland]

Well, DUH. Why would anyone need to conduct a "study" to figure that out?

These are probably the same people who needed a study to figure out that Florida (you know, the place with all the trees, swamps and hurricanes) has fewer days of sunshine than the desert southwest.

[Nataku X]

4 hours of history, science, math, and writing/reading and 2 or 3 hours of recess/PE sounds about right to me. Just cut out art/dance, foreign language, drama, elective classes. If the students are really motivated to learn how to act they can do it on their own time...

[IamConservative]

My HS Freshman daughter last year had PE in the first period. I am sure all these young woman wanted to work up a sweat in the first hour of the day and smell the rest of the day. They were not given time to shower.

I sometimes can't figure out what the administrators are thinking.

[Don Simmons]

What would help even more is for parents to live up to their responsibilities of ensuring the overall welfare of their children by making them get off their fat, lazy asses and out from in front of the TV and computer/video game...and get outside and play!!!

Oh, and the parents, who are also fat and lazy should go along with their kids to supervise instead of plopping THEIR fat asses on the couch as well.

OK, they work long hours....likely more than one job. Well, guess what - if they exercised some pragmatism and lived within their means they wouldn't have to work so much.

What is gained when mom works a part-time job that nets the family $1500 a month, but day care costs $1200 a month? The obvious answer is $300, but factor in gas/commuting costs, money spent on lunch, etc. You quickly run up yet another deficit.

THINK, PEOPLE!!!!

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

They don't think, I say eliminate PE and allow parents to turn the TV/Computer off. Whatever happened to playing outside?

[cspackler]

Call me goofy, but I thought that the purpose of the schools was to educate, not worry about obesity. That's the parents job. Sure, let's take another hour out of the classroom and run them around for a while. Then they'll be a little more fit, and a little more ignorant.

[IamConservative]

This same daughter that had PE in the first period and was still carrying her post puberty weight joined the Golf Team. She walks 9 if not 18 holes everyday after school and has lost her weight. It's pretty simple in the end..

Yes, she can beat me like a drum on the course. :)

[cyborg]

I hated PE in school. Exercise and physical fitness is the responsibility of the parent not the school.

[Mamzelle]

I took PE in high school, every year, and it was a ridiculous waste of time. We'd dress out and sit around the gym waiting for the Lesbian to show up. She seldom did until the end of the hour. This happened for four years, four years of PE required by law at the time.

When I was a teacher, PE was a security problem. The locker room, generally unsupervised by the teachers (who'd rather be coaching) was an opportunity for bullies and predators.

If you want kids to exercise through required PE classes, it has to be managed better. Otherwise, forget the whole thing

[Blue Eyes]

The idea was discussed in Maryland a year or so ago. Out of curiosity, I asked my midddle-school aged daughters if they thought the idea was good. They shrugged and stated that all they do in PE class is stand around and talk. Their grade is based on whether they change into their PE uniforms, not on any class performance. They said that the PE teachers sat and talked to each other during class, not caring what the students did.

Yeah, make the kids spend another hour a day in the gym. That will help. NOT.

[marty60]

How dumb. When I was in school it was REQUIRED to have 1 hour of gym class. When the whiney lefties starting taking over the schools, they thought it was a violation of a kids "civil right" to required exercise.

As ususal another idiot media article, with absolutely no research.

[goodnesswins]

What GOES around, COMES around.....sheesh.....anyone here old enough to remember President Kennedy's Physical Fitness Challenge?????

[wtc911]

STOP DRIVING THE KIDS TO SCHOOL and let them walk!

______________________________________________

At the rate kids disappear off our streets (anywhere in America)?

[BlueLancer]

PE class ... every day with Dodgeball ...

[wtc911]

Exercise and physical fitness is the responsibility of the parent not the school.

___________________________________

Disagree, schools should try to create the Aritotlean ideal of a sound mind in a sound body.

[cyborg]

I could not disagree more. Unless school's stop the tortuous bullying that always happens in PE, get rid of it. It's a useless appendage of the education system.

[Awestruck]

Because the left can figure anything out without a study...
My little one is in 1st grade and they have PE.. we didn't have it until 6th grade because we got our exercise from recess and playing after school and on weekends... My little one doesn't need extra exercise at school.. she's stick thin as it is because she moves constantly.. I was a stick at her age too for the same reason. I don't think you can blame TV or vid games.. we have em at home and my girl gets out and plays on her own.