School fitness tests

stephfannie86

I am a fifth grade teacher and we are doing the dreaded california state fitness tests. Everyone has to run a mile in less than 30 mins, they are all weighed, and they have to do the sit and reach and other flexability tests. I was so surprised to weigh my students! One of them is eleven years old and weighed over 200 pounds! When I was this old I dont remember kids being this out of shape. I think that more then half of my class qualifies for over weight or obese.

Is it just me or is this a new development for kids so young?

stephfannie86

I am a fifth grade teacher and we are doing the dreaded california state fitness tests. Everyone has to run a mile in less than 30 mins, they are all weighed, and they have to do the sit and reach and other flexability tests. I was so surprised to weigh my students! One of them is eleven years old and weighed over 200 pounds! When I was this old I dont remember kids being this out of shape. I think that more then half of my class qualifies for over weight or obese.

Is it just me or is this a new development for kids so young?

mandyc1108

I read an article that said something to the effect that this is a new trend. Parents are feeding their kids crap basically....lots of processed foods and whatnot. This probably co-exists with the new trend in child diabetes. It's scary to think so many kids are so overweight at such a young age.

Georg

It's so sad. 5 years ago I had half my second grade class close to or over 100 pounds. I actually had a grandmother ask me when the nutrition unit would be over because she was tired of grand daughter requesting vegetables with every dinner! :grumble:
Can you imagine?

Phoenixflame

It makes me sick. I NEVER leap on these "Think of the CHILDREN!" wagons. But this one I do. Garbage in, garbage out. And with it we lose the very art of eating, relying on sodium-packed instant sauces and chicken fingers.

RNLeslie

That is horrible (about the inconvenient request for veggies)! My step daughter is in a similar situation. She's a little overweight, but she wants to slim down a bit, or at least be a little healthier. But we only see her 4 days a month. She eats pretty healthily over here, and we go to the gym together. But her mom refuses to keep healthy foods in the house. So she doesn't have much to choose from at home. Not only that: she won't let my step daughter pack her own lunch, so she is forced to eat whatever they're serving in the cafeteria. And we all know that there are plenty of evil temptations in a high school cafeteria these days!

Iceprincessk25

I get so mad when I see children that are overweight. It's not that hard to get your kid outta the house and away from the computer/videogames/tv. When I was younger we played street hockey, rode bikes, rollerskated, and skateboarded until the street lights came on and then we came inside. It makes me so sad to see how things have changed!:grumble:

jeffwyeg

Honestly, I can't say I'm surprised about this...the radio station I work for is located in West Edmonton Mall & our studios face out into the mall - which is great for people watching.

And - I hate to put it like this - but there are a lot of fat kids out there. I see them every single day...they usually have an ice cream cone (or some other crap) in one hand and a giant container of pop in the other. And a lot of times they're on those stupid wheelie/heelie shoes so they don't even have to walk (mom & dad are just dragging them along).

And don't even get me started on the lack of kids playing outside. Video games & on-line time have taken over kids lives. I don't want to sound like an old guy here, but I remember when I was a kid...winter or summer, I spent A LOT of time outside. In the summer, I'd be out riding my bike from morning until night (anyone else remember having to come home "when the street lights came on"?) and in the winter time, I was over at my local skating rink playing hockey.

An 11 year old that weighs 200lbs? And second graders that weigh close to/over 100lbs? Good lord...when I graduated high school I think I weighed 155lbs.

miasuperstar

Kids not playing outside as much definitely seems to be true, in part due to all their access to electronic media but i've also noticed many parents are AFRAID to let their children play alone outside even though i've read reports saying that child abductions have not increased in the past 30 years. I live in a VERY safe town where everything is within a 6 mile bike/walk distance and my university tried to start a bike to school program for junior high kids and many of the parents we not supportive because of the fear of their child going to school alone. I'm not a parent so maybe there's something i'm missing but i still think making kids walk or ride (when its reasonable of course!) rather than shuttling kids to/from school, friends houses etc would help with the obesity epidemic.

And about this fitness test- at least there is one! Some schools can't even afford to keep gym class anymore!

pixiestick

I think it is one of the (if not the greatest) tragedies of modern, first world countries, but especially the United States. Here we are with one of the highest standards of living in the world and we are killing our children because we're too lazy to cook them good food and see to it that they get plenty of exercise... because we are too lazy to do it for ourselves.

jeffwyeg

Kids not playing outside as much definitely seems to be true, in part due to all their access to electronic media but i've also noticed many parents are AFRAID to let their children play alone outside even though i've read reports saying that child abductions have not increased in the past 30 years. I live in a VERY safe town where everything is within a 6 mile bike/walk distance and my university tried to start a bike to school program for junior high kids and many of the parents we not supportive because of the fear of their child going to school alone. I'm not a parent so maybe there's something i'm missing but i still think making kids walk or ride (when its reasonable of course!) rather than shuttling kids to/from school, friends houses etc would help with the obesity epidemic.

I think you've hit the nail right on the head with this comment...you're right! When I was a kid, there were just as many perverts/weirdos/etc out there, but I don't think we were as aware of them as we are today, thanks to the constant bombardment of stories about abducted/assaulted children.

Although I wonder if - to a degree - a lot of these abductions/assaults are partly due to the fact that kids ARE so sheltered & don't have a lot of street smarts? Thoughts?

jeffwyeg

Kids not playing outside as much definitely seems to be true, in part due to all their access to electronic media but i've also noticed many parents are AFRAID to let their children play alone outside even though i've read reports saying that child abductions have not increased in the past 30 years. I live in a VERY safe town where everything is within a 6 mile bike/walk distance and my university tried to start a bike to school program for junior high kids and many of the parents we not supportive because of the fear of their child going to school alone. I'm not a parent so maybe there's something i'm missing but i still think making kids walk or ride (when its reasonable of course!) rather than shuttling kids to/from school, friends houses etc would help with the obesity epidemic.

I think you've hit the nail right on the head with this comment...you're right! When I was a kid, there were just as many perverts/weirdos/etc out there, but I don't think we were as aware of them as we are today, thanks to the constant bombardment of stories about abducted/assaulted children.

Although I wonder if - to a degree - a lot of these abductions/assaults are partly due to the fact that kids ARE so sheltered & don't have a lot of street smarts? Thoughts?

iftcheiaf

I live in a middle class neighborhood where a lot of the moms are stay-at-home moms, volunteer at the school, parents walking their kids to and from the school, etc. I don't see a lot of obesity in the small school my children attend. But the children that are obese that I personally know are either from divided households or the lower income families. Their parents are also obese.

When my ex-husband and I first split, about three months into it, I discovered from my daughter that she was eating at McDonald's about five times a week between him and I because it was convenient (I never have really learned to cook). Not so anymore. My ex and I sat down and talked about the long term goals for the kids and their health.

My son has been sick all week and kept bringing his PSP over from his father's house. I would let him play for 30 minutes four times during the day, then make him turn it off and read or draw or play with legos. I was told by my daughter that when he was sick a few weeks ago at his father's house, he spent 5.5 hours straight playing Wii. asdkjfalsdfjaskldfjalskdfjasdfklj!!!! I hate the electronics. We don't even really watch TV in my house because I want them active.

I am scared to let my kids play outside, which is why they never go out alone. Sometimes it is inconvenient for me to sit at the window and watch them while trying to get stuff done, but it's better not having them outside or having them stolen.

That's my little whatevers.

72lori

I had my kids at CiCi's one night. There was a family at a table beside us. The adults were all very overweight. The little girl in the booster seat might have been 2 or 3. She asked for more salad. The mother told her she had enough and wouldn't get her anymore but offered her a cinnamon roll! I was floored. It's not like she had to make anything, just walk up to the buffet and put salad on a plate and she said no!

kerrilucko

I totally agree. It's an epidemic. One of the boys my fiance teaches weighs over 400 lbs( I think he's 17). My fiance is a phys-ed teacher and this particular student cannot even walk a lap of the gym without getting tired and having to sit down. I know for a fact that he is this heavy because my fiance has a scale in his office and the boy has weighed himself there, it only goes up to 400 and he was higher than that.

Over half the kids Brian teaches are overweight. It makes me sick to think of it. Nobody here knows a thing about nutrition. All they eat eat kraft dinner, chips, and candy. All they drink is soda and gatorade. Very few exercise for fun.

It is very sad to think of the health problems that are looking to claim these children- diabetes, heart disease, cancer- all because nobody bothered to teach them a healthy, active lifestyle.

jeffwyeg

All they drink is soda and gatorade.

And energy drinks...if I had a dime for every kid I've seen with a Red Bull or a Rockstar (or any of the other caffeine-infused crap drinks out there) I'd be a very VERY rich man.

As for this:

I am scared to let my kids play outside, which is why they never go out alone. Sometimes it is inconvenient for me to sit at the window and watch them while trying to get stuff done, but it's better not having them outside or having them stolen.

I'm certainly not the one to tell anyone how to raise their kids, but this is exactly what we were talking about before; it's great that you're giving the opportunity to exercise their brains (drawing, reading, etc) but what about letting them get out into the backyard for some fresh air?

Iceprincessk25

It's frustrating how things have changed. We'd be outside for HOURS without my parents having to watch every step that we made and nothing ever happened to my sister or I. I hope that can remain the same when I have kids. We'd scavenge around the house to find change just so we could ride our bikes to the corner store to buy gum or candy but at least we we're working for it.

miasuperstar

Yes, my best memories growing up involve being outside, T-ball, four square, bike rides, camp, whatever. What kind of memories are kids developing today, let alone habits and, as some of you have put, discipline? Of course, as neighborhoods deteriorate what options do some children really have? Fortunately this is one of the important issue that the new White House chief health adviser specializes in but the real work, as we know, starts at home. Sorry, i think maybe i've maybe taken the Jr. high fitness test to a political and economic level.oops

stephfannie86

We did a lesson the other day that talked about the digestion system and how the food is processed. It is really amazing what a machine our bodies are and how it NEEDS nutritious food to keep it running. I think that was an eye opener for the students and for myself to remind me that taste is such a small part of the purpose behind eating.

sonjavon

I have an 11 year old son and I'm blessed with a naturally active child. From the time he was 5 he's played baseball, he started soccer in Kindergarten and moved to Football in 2nd grade. He plays basketball as well and has for several years. I'm also blessed that he has always "liked" good food... cabbage, salads, brussels sprouts, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, etc... he loves it! He loves fish and chicken as well. Now, that being said - he IS 11 and would rather have McDonald's than anything else most days, he LIKES to sit and watch TV and usually eats WAY more than I think he should be eating... but he's 5'0, weighs 122 lbs and can do a better push up than most grown men I know... so, I just encourage him to be active.

I've also been afraid to allow him out to play alone... we live in a low crime area - but no, I'm not willing to take that chance with MY child... so, until just the last year or two - I made sure that I was with him. "Hey - why don't you see if Luke wants to go to the batting cages?", "If you want to get a few friends together for a basketball game - I'll drive you all to the park."... it didn't mean that I had to be active... just present. Oh, how I wish that I could have been more active with him... but I wasn't "there" yet.

Here's what it all boils down to:
Gym class in school used to be about "playing games", now it's more about "fitness". Newsflash to the government: KIDS PLAY... it's what they love, it's their JOB... they don't need to "work out" if they PLAY! Make anything a drudgery and kids will rebel. We need MORE recess, not less. We need MORE active play in schools, not LESS. And oh, by the way... I can almost guarantee that if we let the kids "move" a little more at school - we'd have a lot less kids on Ritalin and other meds because they could burn off some of that energy and focus when they need to. (Coming from a mom with a child diagnosed with ADD who has chosen not to medicate).

People need to learn to plan meals, grocery shop and cook. This may be something good that comes out of the economic situation. I know that my meal planning and such got serious when I lost my job a year ago. Being "frugal" was almost synonymous with beginning to find healthier ways to eat. Almost anything you cook at home from scratch is going to be healthier than the crap you get when you eat out.

Parents need to get more active with their kids. Period. Play with them, teach them to love being outside and having fun. Stop relying on the tv to keep them busy. Who knows.. you might just learn a little something from them. For instance, I've learned (through simply listening) - my son has REALLY good taste in girls!

Teach your child about portion control. We all know that most adults eat more than they need. The problem is that we are also feeding our children as much as we eat ourselves... a box of macaroni and cheese is not a snack. A can of ravioli's is not a serving. A 6 year old does not need to eat a Big Mac!

It saddens me to see obese kids because I know that they have to be miserable. Kids are cruel. As an obese adult, I know how uncomfortable the world is - it must be terrible for a child who is obese trying to sit in the desks at school, keep up with latest trends, etc.

Ok... stepping off my soap box now. Good morning all!

greysweatshirt

Being a teacher here, I have noticed this trend too! I teach music and do a lot of movement games and I've had Kindergarteners...yes, 5 and 6 year olds, tell me they get "too tired" to participate! How can this be?? They should be running circles around me at that age!!!

rogers8702

i totally agree, i am a m,other of a 6 year old and a 3 year old, i once over heard a waitress saying that i was horrible because my kids ordered grilled chicken salads instead of chicken fingers or mac and cheese. dont get me wrong my kids eat those types of things now and then, but both of my children would eat a garden salad over french fries and hot dogs any day.

i believe if the sun is shining we all should be out side.:flowerforyou:

FitnessGeek

This article made me think of this post

School PE Programs Don't Lower Child Obesity
But they do boost fitness and are still valuable, study finds
-- Kevin McKeever
But they do boost fitness and are still valuable, study finds.

MONDAY, March 30 (HealthDay News) -- Physical fitness programs in schools improve many aspects of children's health, but they don't appear to combat obesity, a new study in the Canadian medical publication CMAJ shows.

Improvements in blood pressure, muscle mass, bone mineral density, lung capacity and flexibility were some of the benefits experienced by the more than 18,000 students participating in "physical activity interventions" at their schools; however, the program's did not noticeably lower the children's body-mass index (BMI) -- a common measurement of obesity.

The study authors, from the BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver, concluded that the program's overall health benefits still warrant their inclusion in school curriculum, even if they don't reduce obesity.

The failure to reduce BMI scores might have been because the programs did not offer enough vigorous activity or that other outside factors may have had a greater effect on weight, the authors suggested.

The rate of childhood obesity in the United States has tripled in the past 40 years and similar increases are occurring in Canada and most of Europe, according to background information in the article.

Louise Baur, from the University of Sydney in Australia, in a commentary in the same issue of CMAJ, writes that reversing trends in childhood obesity requires a broader, long-term approach -- from healthier school meals to changes in how cities are developed so that they encourage more physical activity.

"No simple or short-term changes, such as a physical activity intervention for a limited length of time in the school curriculum, can be expected to influence the prevalence of obesity," wrote Baur, who specializes in children's health.

Shadowpaws

I remember dreading those tests. -.-

But yes, it's sad that kids weigh so much so early these days. My brother is 240, but he's all muscle and is a 13 year old that is SIX FEET tall. LOL. I did see a parent come to Taco Bell a few weeks ago though; had one little boy that weighed at least 300. She let him eat whatever he wanted; 3 loaded nachos, some tacos, soda, etc. She set absolutely no limits.