Calif. P.E. Flops With Only 1 In 3 Of Kids Passing Fitness Test

Indicative of a growing health hazard for kids nationwide, only about one in three students earned a "healthy" score on California's physical-fitness test, according to annual data released Thursday, the Los Angeles Times reports.

About 1.32 million students in grades five, seven and nine were evaluated in areas including running, push-ups and curl-ups.

The state of California says kids' health is a priority and has a plan to do something about the failing marks, however, KPBS reports.

"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.

Torlakson said a new program called Team California for Healthy Kids would link schools with community leaders and athletes to get students to exercise more both in school and at home.

The American Heart Association recommends kids get at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity every day.

But it's no easy task with a child obesity rate that's tripled in the past 30 years. The World Health Organization found last year that kids everywhere are too sedentary, with only 25 percent of boys and 15 percent of girls getting enough exercise, Reuters reports.

Comments

[nfatt1]

10:34 AM on 03/27/2011

Was moving your thumb and first finger part of the test ?

[MrBwood]

10:54 AM on 03/27/2011

My thoughts exactly.

[Yam716]

03:27 PM on 03/31/2011

Unfortunately, I believe this is why most children are obese. Get the children away from the cell phones, video games and computers and take them to the park!

[hawhite2000]

03:25 AM on 03/27/2011

Physical Education is important. Children should learn the kind of things they should be doing and they should do activities that they enjoy. If you are a child who doesn't enjoy sit ups you won't do them at home; so it is not only important to force children to do things that they do not like in PE classes, it is important to help children find physical activities that they enjoy through those same classes.

[MSchlagel]

09:36 PM on 03/26/2011

I hate to let reality intrude but the data for the annual physical fitness test has not been turn in to the State of California. Schools are still in the process of testing and the data will be uploaded to FITNESSGRAM at the end of May. The LA Times is using 2010 data that has been available since August 2010. If this is a subject they feel is paramount why wait until close to eight months later to write about it? This is the second time the LA Times has published educational data that was either close to outdated or erroneous (e.g. the teacher VA listings of August/September 2010).

[citizen1787]

09:31 PM on 03/26/2011

Wasn't Arnold Mr. "get the kids fit"

I seem to remember him getting lots of praise for the words he spoke. I guess words and photo-ops were not enough, who would have guessed.

[perlin]

06:55 PM on 03/26/2011

With the current trent of blaming the teachers on everything I would say: let's blame this on PE teachers. I bet it is clear for rhee, duncan, obama, christie, jeb bush, gates and other deformers that IT IS THE TEACHERS FAULT if the the kids do not pass the test.

[sidnee]

06:15 PM on 03/26/2011

PE is mandated in CA--but so is time for Language Arts and math as well as time to give to students who are falling behind. WHen you add all those minutes up, there isn't enough time for that! Let alone time for social studies, science and art. However, no matter how much PE I squeeze in with my students, it doesn't amount to a hill of beans when the children are eating horribly at home (you should see what they bring to school for a "nutritious" snack!) and sit in front of the TV or computer all night long. Teachers and schools can only do so much--it takes family involvement as well. Again, most of this is a societal problem--which will still be blamed on the teachers and schools for not doing thier jobs.

[am10]

03:53 PM on 03/26/2011

While P.E. should be back in school, I'm amazed at parents who don't encourage sports, fitness, or recreational running around.

[Yam716]

03:27 PM on 03/31/2011

They keep their children occupied with video games and FB.

[sibyl9]

01:35 PM on 03/26/2011

In addition to getting PE back into school, they need to seriously do something about the school lunch menu.

[PattiH]

12:15 PM on 03/26/2011

Parents do their part, and CA schools need to put actual PE classes back in the elementary schools. PE has been just about non-existent in CA for decades.

Now, CA says no time for PE, we have tests to prepare for and take.

[Gem Mayers]

01:00 PM on 03/26/2011

I agree. Due to budget cuts, often times the regular ed teacher does PE but is not well trained....I know since I had to do PE. We need PE as studies show active bodies, sports, etc have a positive affect on learning.
Now though with PE standards, there is actually "book work" and writing which takes away from the physical part of phys ed.

[drillsgtmark]

11:53 AM on 03/26/2011

All of a sudden an issue that has been going on over 20 years in California hits the headlines as if this is a new problem. Was everyone asleep at the wheel? Where is the money suppose to come from to support programs to help with physical health? I can give an hour speech about what is right and was in wrong with our school districts. You want kids to have better health, look at home first, get the money to the school districts for appropriate programs. Bottom line is called money. Any questions? Class dismissed.

[TheIndependentView]

11:07 AM on 03/26/2011

California is a fine example for all the other states to learn from.

[LoveOverGold]

11:07 AM on 03/26/2011

We live in the mountains and have been snowed in for week. Snow removal, getting water, just daily life is VERY strenuous.

Our modern conveniences make it very easy to be lazy. Add to that a fatty diet and this what we get. Check out China, their kids all exercise, and are pretty smart too. Not saying we should adopt their methods, but we could do so much better than we do.

This isn't a political thing or a slur against certain areas of the country, just reality and we need to deal with it. That or we will be left behind.

Diet
Exercise
EDUCATION!!!!

[jedwightn]

10:51 AM on 03/26/2011

Look at the parents then look at the kids, any similarities? Fat starts at home and grows out in the world of undisciplined junk food eating and lack of exercise. We have found the enemy and they are us!

[Gem Mayers]

10:51 AM on 03/26/2011

So let's allow our social efficiency styled government into our lives more. The common man is too dumb to know what's good for him; "me like fatty donut good. me think sit on couch eat fast food fun for family" so... in addition to barring trans fats, cutting sodas, sugars, and fats in schools (no more bake sales for fundraisers), let's find a way to make some law that kids have to exercise even more than the 120 min a week in schools. Since common man is too dumb to send their kid outside to play (if a safe area), or tell them to do some jumping jacks indoors...let's find some way the elitist, expert government and corporations can manage our exercise. Any ides?

[jeanrenoir]

10:17 AM on 03/26/2011

American parenting is such a pathetic disgrace. Parents are 100% responsible for their fat kids, but the parents are too lazy and/or narcissistically distracted to do anything, notice, or care. Can you imagine what this country is going to be like in thirty years, when we're awash in thirty-five-year-old diabetics by the millions and millions, all expensive to treat, just at the time China is saying bye-bye to us in their rearview mirror? It's incredible how suicidally self-destructive America has become, almost across the board.