Physical education in schools and colleges: importance and benefits

¶ … Physical Education in schools and colleges

The importance of Physical Education at schools and colleges

Physical education has become an important issue that is seen by many educators as an essential aspect of the overall educational program at schools and colleges in the country. This concern is based on a number of contemporary issues. The first is that there has been a decline in the perceived importance of physical education at schools and colleges. (Drane et al. 2004) This decline has raised concern in the light of the recent reports of an increase in obesity among the youth in the United States. While physical exercise and physical exercise programs are seen as important in terms of general health and well-being, the evidence of the relationship between obesity and the lack of physical exercise has raised this concern to another level and increased the importance of physical education at our schools and colleges.

The importance of physical education in schools and colleges in the United States was first realized in the 1950s'. Studies at that time indicated that students in American colleges were less physically fit compared to their counterparts in Europe. (Pivarnik and Pfeiffer) These studies resulted in the establishment of President's Council on Youth Fitness, which was established in 1956. There were subsequent studies and efforts to improve the state of physical fitness and education in our schools and colleges.

However, the decline of physical fitness among children in the country has been a continual topic of debate in recent years. The strong evidence of obesity among the youth has served to exacerbate this concern and highlight the need for a greater emphasis on physical education. Many experts claim that improvements to physical education program at schools in particular are essential to combat these growing rates of obesity as well as improve general student health. There is therefore a consensus that children should be more involved in physical exercise in a formal sense and on a regular basis. Secondly, there is increasing agreement among educationists and healthcare experts that there is a close and important link between a lack of physical exercise and obesity among children.

These views are borne out by numerous studies. For example, in 1989 the Michigan Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (MAHPERD) issued a statement which, "...emphasized the importance of quality physical education programs in Michigan schools

" (Pivarnik and Pfeiffer) There have also been various national initiatives aimed at improving the state of student fitness by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other organizations and bodies. These programs and studies also emphasize the importance of social environment and its relationship to physical fitness programs.

Despite these initiatives and programs over the years, the present situation indicates that there has been an increase rather than a decline in the rate of obesity among America's youth. This situation has been positively linked to present situation regarding the relatively poor implementation of physical exercise programs in schools. In this sense, the importance of the link between physical fitness and the reduction of obesity has been emphasized by a number of experts in the field. "Physical inactivity has been shown to be a significant predictor and cause of obesity in children, independent of Nutritional habits" (Pivarnik and Pfeiffer). Findings such as these point to the importance of the implementation of structured and organized physical fitness programs at schools and colleges..

The necessity and importance of improving physical education programs is also related to other facets affecting student health. This is made clear from a study entitled, Contribution of physical education and sport to health-related fitness in high school students (2005). In this study, health related variables of high schools students were compared. It was found that Reduced physical activity during childhood and adolescence represents a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease in adulthood. Cross-sectional and longitudinal research has established a positive relationship between participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and increases in cardiovascular fitness, weight management, and reduction of adult-like risk factors such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, and high blood pressure for chronic diseases. (Pitetti, 2005)

The above statement therefore highlights the important of physical education in terms of many other health factors. The research undertaken by Pitetti (2005) also suggests a number of recommendations related to the improvement of the present state of physical education. For example, one of the recommendations is that there should be"... An accumulation of at least 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week." (Pitetti, 2005)

This report also echoes a central finding that is repeated in many other studies of this nature. This refers to the fact that physical education and exercise is on the decline among America's youth. "Despite widespread knowledge about engaging in regular physical activity, levels of physical activity in U.S. adolescents (aged 14-18) decline with increasing age, with the greatest reductions occurring between ages 14 to 21" (Pitetti, 2005).

In conclusion, the importance of physical education at schools and colleges is a concern that has been highlighted in recent years by reports of increasing obesity among young people. This has been accompanied by reports of a reduced emphasis on physical education program at schools and colleges in the country. Notwithstanding the fact that physical exercise on a regular and organized basis is essential for general student health, the fact that there has been an increase in obesity and a related decline in physical education programs, indicates that attention should be urgently given to the importance of improving physical education programs at schools and colleges.