Obesity rises, PE classes decline

09.16.05 - The California Center for Public Health Advocacy recently released of a study that analyzed the 2004 California Physical Fitness Test results for schoolchildren and found a steady increase in childhood obesity. This is the second of a two-part series by the Index-Tribune focusing on nutrition and physical education to determine why the rate of overweight schoolchildren continues to escalate.

Video games, television, overweight parents, declining physical education in the schools, junk food - what's causing the rise of overweight schoolchildren?

A study released Aug. 24 by the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, a nonprofit group in Davis, showed that the rate of overweight schoolchildren in Sonoma and Marin counties has risen 3 percent in the last three years - but the counties still have some of the lowest rates in the state.

The study analyzed results of the 2004 California Physical Fitness Test, which annually tests cardiovascular endurance, percentage of body fat, abdominal strength and endurance, trunk strength and flexibility, upper-body strength and endurance and overall flexibility for fifth-, seventh- and ninth-graders.

Students were then placed in one of two categories: Either they met or exceeded the fitness target, putting them in the healthy fitness zone; or they failed to meet the fitness target, classifying them as needing improvement.

For both California as a whole and Assemblyman Joe Nation's 6th District, the rate of overweight kids appears to decrease as kids age. Statewide, 29.3 percent of fifth-graders are overweight, whereas 25.4 percent of ninth-graders are overweight. In the 6th District, which covers Sonoma and Marin, 22 percent of fifth-graders are overweight while only 16.9 percent of ninth-graders are overweight.

In the Sonoma school district's elementary schools, fourth- and fifth-graders have physical education class twice a week for 30 minutes, but kindergarteners through third-graders only have it twice a month for 30 minutes, said Toni Stephens, who has traveled from school to school teaching PE in Sonoma for 15 years.

Since the state requires schoolchildren to have 200 minutes of physical education every 10 days for grades one through six, the classroom teachers are left trying to fit in the remaining minutes of required instruction, without formal training.

"I'd like to say that across the board, that does happen in every class but I know that's not true. These teachers have their plates full. Some make a great effort, but they have limited experience and training," said Stephens.

In her classes, Stephens introduces physical activity to the students, teaches them exercise skills and encourages them to exercise outside of school.

The kids must turn in a homework sheet stating how much physical activity they did on their own time and have their parents sign it.

During class, "everyone participates and has fun, it's not competitive," said Stephens. Push-up clubs and mileage clubs have formed with the help of classroom teachers. In the Mileage Club, the teachers bring students out to the track to let them run and provide shoe charms to students for every five miles they run. For this new school year, some students have already run 25 miles, said Stephens. "They love it, they're motivated."

Even so, she's not happy with the results of the current PE program. "We could do better, but with the limited times we see the students, it's the best we can do."

Across the state, some kids are seeing more PE than Sonoma can offer. Stephens has met other PE teachers at state conferences who provide daily physical education to their students. "It's finances; some school districts can't pay for it," said Stephens.

In the middle and high schools, however, students have PE class every day or, if on a block schedule, every other day - but both for the same amount of minutes each week. The state requires 400 minutes of physical education instruction every 10 days for grades seven through 12.

At the elementary school levels, teachers have multi-subject credentials, whereas at the middle and high school levels, teachers must have more content-based special credentialing. For example, a math teacher isn't credentialed to teach PE for middle school.

"PE is the only content area mandated in the education code. No other contents (like math or history) are in the law saying you have to provide 'X' minutes of instruction per day," said Don Russell, assistant superintendent for the Sonoma County Office of Education.

So when certain amounts of minutes of physical education are required by the state, it is up to the school districts to determine how that instruction is taught. Whether a classroom teacher can teach it or a credentialed PE instructor must be hired is often determined by the grade level.

On the lookout for some sort of positive change, Stephens noted that for the first time in her career the state, last January, passed physical education standards that will include required assessments. Except for the required physical fitness testing for fifth-graders, "we're not doing (assessments) because we don't see them often enough right now to assess their skills," said Stephens.

"There will probably have to be some type of training for classroom teachers or (the schools) will have to find money to hire full-time instructors or specialists," she said, hopeful for this mandated change.