Physical education's impact on childhood health, obesity, and social development

Physical Education Issues in Contemporary Education

Impact on Children, Schools, Communities, Families and Teachers

The importance of instilling good habits about exercise, physical activity, and nutrition as early as possible in the lives of children cannot be overstated. According to empirical research, children who spend more time playing passive games such as computer games more than participating in physically active games, recreational activities, and sports have much greater chances of becoming overweight and of having less fulfilling social lives than children who actively participate in physical recreational activities.

From the perspective of children, being healthy and maintaining normal body weight have obvious advantages in comparison to being less healthy and being overweight or obese. That is especially true because children who are overweight have at least a sixty percent chance of remaining overweight or obese throughout their later lives; and adults who are overweight or obsess have significant health problems in comparison to adults who maintain a normal body weight. In addition to health issues, there are social serious social disadvantages to being overweight. In childhood and adolescence, overweight children have lower self-esteem, fewer friendships, and they are more susceptible to being victimized by bullying. As adults, they are at a disadvantage in hiring decisions, as well as in many other social situations, including the prospect of finding fulfilling romantic relationships.

From the perspective of schools, children who are less healthy and those who are overweight present issues of social responsibility in terms of providing for their nutritional and health needs, and in terms of allowing students the best possible environment to enjoy school and perform up to their potential in their studies. From the perspective of families and communities, children who are less healthy or overweight because of their habits and lifestyle present problems in connection with depression, social anxiety, and social withdrawal. Few things are more troubling to parents than witnessing their children become unhappy. Unhappy, unhealthy, and unfulfilled children become less happy adults who are less likely to reach their potential academically, socially, and professionally and that naturally detracts from the community in the aggregate. Finally, from the perspective of teachers, less healthy and less socially secure and happy students are less committed to their studies and less capable of learning or of concentrating in school than healthy and happy students. The prevalence of unhealthy and unhappy children only makes the job of teachers even harder than it already is.

Application to Primary School Teaching

Applying the concepts of healthy childhood physical education habits and principles to primary school health and physical education programs means, among other things, that physical education teachers, and other teachers more generally, must take a more comprehensive or "holistic" view of physical education and the physical health of all of their students. It is not longer acceptable to allow students to direct their own activities and participation in physical education. At the other end of the spectrum, it is also no longer appropriate to focus on mandatory participation for the mere sake of participation, especially with regard to students who clearly are not enthusiastic about the physical education options available. Applying the modern concepts of physical education that are conducive to the health and happiness of all students means that physical education teachers must make the additional effort to get to know their students well enough to learn what their likes and dislikes are. In that way, they are in the best possible position to devise physical education programs and activities that might genuinely interest certain students who are less interested in the traditional physical education activities.

Similarly, the modern physical education professional must understand that his or her job consists of much more than just overseeing students during the time they are actually involved in physical education classes. Foe example, modern physical education professionals receive extensive training in nutrition and healthy body weight maintenance. It is their responsibility not to ignore the needs of students who are obviously beginning to have problems in connection with becoming overweight or obese in childhood. Physical education teachers have a unique opportunity and obligation to intervene appropriately when they become aware that a student in their class is having weight problems. They must get involved by getting to know the student and ascertaining what factors are responsible for the problem. In that respect, they might have to refer the child to a nutritionist and arrange for consultations with the child's family to emphasize the importance of nutrition and offer assistance in connection with that problem as well.