A completely bogus 'study'

Las Vegas Review-Journal ^ | Mar. 30, 2005 | Editorial

[Nevadan]

Nevada youths deemed unfit because state doesn't mandate gym classes

Accustomed to seeing themselves placed near the bottom in some bureaucrat's ranking of government spending in one category or another, it was probably with a heavy sigh of resignation that many Silver Staters read last week of a study by New York-based Child magazine concluding Nevada's children are some of the least fit in the country -- ranking 48th, behind only Alaska and Nebraska.

Karen Cicero, food and nutrition director for the magazine, explained the rankings were compiled by a panel of experts ranging from dieticians to pediatricians. Their conclusion? A primary reason Nevada children are not physically fit is that the state does not mandate physical fitness classes in elementary school.

And what were the benchmarks used to determine that Nevada children are less physically fit than those in other states? The ratio of their weight to their height? The speed at which they can run the half-mile? The number of sit-ups or pull-ups they can do?

None of the above, actually.

"We weren't looking at if the kids were lean or heavy," Ms. Cicero admits. "We were looking more at what were states doing to take on the (child obesity) crisis that is going on in every state."

Ms. Cicero's "experts" didn't weigh or measure a single child, didn't watch a single Nevada child try to climb a rope or sprint 100 yards. For all they know, our kids could be out running marathons all afternoon; they wouldn't care. They define physically unfit children as children who aren't mandated by the state to take gym class (even if the local school district does mandate gym classes, as Clark County's does), and then decide the solution is mandatory gym class.

By this perfectly sealed and hermetic system, the people of Kenya, who for years dominated the Olympic marathon event because their herdsmen run long distances at high altitude in their bare feet, would be judged less physically fit than the pasty-faced pizza-munchers of New York City.

Other measures of "child fitness" used by the magazine included "whether state legislators have tried to combat unhealthy foods offered in the schools," and "the number of fast-food restaurants in the state." The magazine also counted what percentage of children participate in organized youth softball or soccer leagues. Predictably, the city dwellers were oblivious that children in rural areas where no such programs are available may be the fittest of all because they tend to spend their time outside.

Ms. Cicero and her team at Child magazine did not expose themselves to any risk of having real-world results confound their smug intuitions. Therefore, their findings are nothing but prejudiced hot air and worthless guff, which are all the more pernicious and reprehensible when they have the nerve to masquerade as "science."

[Tanniker Smith]

study by New York-based Child magazine concluding Nevada's children are some of the least fit in the country -- ranking 48th, behind only Alaska and Nebraska

Forget gym, how about English and Math.
Ranked 48th behind only Alaska and Nebraska?
No, maybe ranked only AHEAD of those two states, or BEHIND 47 other states except Alaska and Nebraska.

Sigh. Sometimes it's a pain being a math teacher. (And not just for me.)

TS

[Mr. K]

DAMM good read!!

[rellimpank]

--yep--even as in Lake Woebegon all the children are above average and beautiful, some doomsayer can find that the opposite is true everwhere--in the cause of "it's for the children"--and in the cause of spending more of someone elses's money--

[CzarNicky]

If I recall my elementary "physical education" classes correctly gym was a waste of time it remained so right up to high school.

[Gabz]

Therefore, their findings are nothing but prejudiced hot air and worthless guff, which are all the more pernicious and reprehensible when they have the nerve to masquerade as "science."

And the same could be said about most so-called "studies."

I don't know who is the bigger cuplrit in these things....the people doing them (for big bucks), the people funding them (for their own gain) or the MSM for pandering to them and ignoring the facts and just going by press releases.

[.cnI redruM]

The function in question must have been monotonic increasing... :p

(j/k)

[Nevadan]

One of the ironies of the "study" is that physical education classes ARE mandated for the majority of Nevada's students at the elementary level. Clark County (encompassing Las Vegas and the surrounding region) has the largest population base in the state. If you are familiar with Nevada, you know that most of the state is uninhabited (owned by the Federal government). In the north there is the Reno/Carson City/Lake Tahoe area. In the east, the small town of Elko, and a smattering of tiny towns elsewhere. Clark County School District does mandate physical education at the elementary level. However, it is not mandated by the state. Thus, it apparently doesn't count in Child Magazine's study.

[AFPhys]

Actually, this is a really good example of how "scientific studies" are used to manipulate people.

This article is a great refutation that people can understand.

I think I'll be keeping this for future reference in my 'global warming' and 'ANWR = bad' discussions.

[steve-b]

Heck, if we're going to just make stuff up based on the assumption that government policy produces certain results, I conclude that the adult male population of Nevada is the most fit because their state is the only one that permits access to a certain form of exercise facility.

[shhrubbery!]

If I recall my elementary "physical education" classes correctly gym was a waste of time it remained so right up to high school.

Same for me and all my kids who went to public schools.

My youngest child is homeschooled, takes no "physical education" classes, and is not obese. Not even chubby.

The biggest reason for the increase in childhood obesity is LACK OF A LOVING PARENT AT HOME.

But it wouldn't be politically correct to research or report on that.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Personally, I think everybody ought to have to take PE every day from 7th grade up wearing the same style funky blue gym clothes they made me wear when I was in school (payback to future generations) /sarcasm off

I tell you, if you have a troubled teen, you might try doing what I am doing. He's taking conditioning, and general PE (two separate classes), and then he's in a Lacross club that has practice 6 days a week...and he's not been so mellow since before he went into teenage angst...

[dead]

The methodology of this study would lead to the conclusion that Washington DC has the least murders per capita in the country, since it has the most stringent gun control.

the pasty-faced pizza-munchers of New York City

The Las Vegas Sun Editorial board obviously doesn't frequent NYC pizza parlors.

[wideawake]

LOL! Oh, for a pasty face!