Action called for to boost student fitness levels
‘Fitnessgram’ shows only 1 in 3 can pass basic fitness tests; Hispanics underrepresented
Published: May 1, 2011
Only a third of California students are physically fit, a statistic that alarms pediatricians, fitness experts and child advocates because of its implications for diminished student health and academic achievement.
According to the “Fitnessgram,” an annual test that measures students’ abilities in six fitness areas, most could not run a mile or do a few push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups, and most lacked a healthy body mass index—a measure of body fat based on height and weight. The Fitnessgram tests were given to approximately 1.32 million students in grades five, seven and nine. Students needed to pass five of the six tests to be deemed physically fit.
“Nothing is more important than the health of our children, and today’s results show that many of them need a helping hand to get fit and stay in shape,” state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said in announcing the results last week.
After-school strategies— and an additional concern
A Stanford University study of two Northern California school districts’ students pointed to one possible remedy—but also raised additional concerns about Hispanic students, who now account for a majority of California’s K-12 students.
Students in the two districts, both located near San Francisco, took part in the study to see if after-school programs really do help improve students’ fitness. In a brief released in January by Stanford’s John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities, students who participated regularly in after-school programs that focus on physical activity were 10 percent more likely to pass the Fitnessgram tests.
Fitness levels increased the longer students were in the programs.
However, the research uncovered a troubling fact: Hispanic students were less likely to participate, and therefore they reaped fewer fitness benefits.
The policy implications for governance leaders, said Gardner Center researcher Rebecca London, include working on ways to get the word out to parents long before fifth grade that their child is not fit, and giving families and schools tools for increasing active play.
Many such solutions maximize use of existing resources and partnerships in the community, London said, urging school leaders to especially look for ways to reach out to children who don’t take part in organized sports after school.
CSBA Policy Consultant Betsy McNeil, who also serves on the California Action for Healthy Kids campaign, part of a national movement to reduce and prevent childhood obesity and undernourishment, works to keep student wellness top-of-mind to school leaders.
“CSBA has long recognized the link between student health and fitness, and their success in the classroom. That’s why we provide resources to help governance leaders address these issues,” McNeil said.
Easy links: