Why should I care about Physical Activity?
Physical activity is a crucial part of health and wellness. Regular physical activity helps control weight and strengthens muscles, bones, and joints. It is related to higher levels of self-esteem and lower levels of anxiety and stress among youth. Physical activity also helps reduces the risk for many diseases, such as heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.
Physical activity also helps prevent obesity, which the Surgeon General Obesity has picked as one of the greatest health problems facing the United States:
- Since the 1970s, obesity rates have more than doubled for children aged 2-5 and aged 12-19 and more than tripled for children aged 6-11.
- About nine million children ages six to 19 in the United States are obese (about 16% of the population). More than eight million more are overweight (about 15% of the population).
- Type 2 diabetes, which used to occur almost only in adults, has increased dramatically in children and adolescents, because of obesity.
- In addition to the health problems listed above, obesity is related to being bullied among children and adolescents.
- If current trends continue, some experts predict that children born today may have a lower life expectancy than their parents.
Physical activity also supports learning and academic achievement. Research shows that:
- Physical activity promotes self-esteem and alertness, which are related to improved academic performance;
- Exercise increases blood flow to the brain;
- Learning complex movements can stimulate parts of the brain used to solve problems; and
- Students who engage in more moderate or vigorous physical activity perform better in school and on tests in core subject areas.
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What is difference between Physical Activity and Physical Education?
Physical Activity and Physical Education are not the same.
Physical Activity (PA) is any movement of the body that expends energy, such as exercise, sports, dance, swimming, lifting weights or other body movements that result in an increased heart rate. Physical activity also includes daily activities like walking, taking the stairs, or raking leaves.
Physical Education (PE) is a sequential, developmentally appropriate K to 12 curriculum and instruction that promotes lifelong physical activity. It helps students to develop the knowledge, motor skills, self-management skills, social skills, attitudes and confidence needed to adopt and maintain physical activity throughout their lives.
“School physical education programs offer the best opportunity to provide physical activity to all children and to teach them the skills and knowledge needed to establish and sustain an active lifestyle… Opportunities to accumulate physical activity during the school day include time spent in physical education class, classroom-based movement, recess, walking or biking to school, and recreational sport and play that occurs before, during, and after school.”
- National Association for Sport & Physical Education (NASPE)
To learn more check out NASPE’s “Understanding the Difference… Is it Physical Education or Physical Activity? ”
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How much Physical Activity do children need?
National experts including the Surgeon General, CDC, NASPE, and the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans agree that children and adolescents should engage in at least 60 minutes of age appropriate physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week. This may occur as several bouts of activity lasting 15 minutes or more. Longer periods (i.e. 2 hours or more) of inactivity during daytime hours are discouraged.
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What are Rhode Island's state requirements for Physical Activity in schools?
Health Education and Physical Education
Physical Activity is a key component of health education, as well as of physical education, both of which are required for all students in grades 1-12 (see RI General Laws §16-22-4). Physical Activity is a required health education content area, according to Sec. 5.1.13 of the Rules and Regulations for School Health Programs and the RI Health Education Comprehensive Health Instructional Outcomes.
Physical Activity & Nutrition Policy
By federal law, all districts or schools that take part in the federal school meals program must have a wellness policy that addresses physical activity and nutrition in place by the start of the 2006-07 school year (see P.L. 108-265, Sec. 204).
District Health & Wellness Subcommittee
Also, because of a Rhode Island law passed in 2005 (RI Public Law Chapter 05-074/05-076), every school district is required to have a District Health & Wellness Subcommittee. That Subcommittee is charged with making recommendations to the full school committee on physical activity, as well as on nutrition, health education, and physical education. Strategies to improve the health and wellbeing of students and staff involving these four issues should also be incorporated into the district’s strategic plan.
Physical Education Certification
Certification of Physical Education teachers is governed by the RI Requirements for Special Subjects Certificate. There are also separate RI Requirements for Endorsement in Adapted Physical Education.
Athletics
Information about certification of athletic coaches can be found on the RI Department of Educaiton's RI Requirements for Athletic Coach General Instructions. Also, RI General Law §16-11.1-1 requires that coaches receive first aid training prior to coaching and RIGL §16-21.4-4 requires that they receive health information on
the dangers of performance-enhancing dietary supplements. RIGL §16-21.4-2 prohibits the sponorship or promotion of performance-enhancing dietary supplements. In addition, RIGL §16-11.1-2 requires that coaches give or sponsor a preseason lecture to athletes on the dangers of substance abuse.
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What are some of the best practices for schools around Physical Activity?
- Implement a daily, high quality physical education program for all students throughout the school year and do not allow exemptions from PE for participation in other activities (e.g., interscholastic sports, band, chorus, academic classes). (See the Best Practices in Physical Education.)
- Offer a variety of interscholastic athletics, intramural activities, and/or non-competitive physical activity clubs for all students – with no fee or fees that are waived for any student who cannot afford to pay.
- Offer after-school programs that include physical activity.
- Provide students in grades K-5 a minimum of 20 minutes of daily recess that does not substitute for physical education
- Prohibit the withholding of recess as a form of punishment for poor performance or bad behavior.
- Prohibit the use of physical activity to punish students for poor performance or bad behavior.
- Encourage classroom-based movement and/or brief physical activity breaks in all subject area classes.
- Support a walk- or bicycle-to-school initiative.
- Provide skills-focused instruction, as part of a comprehensive, sequential, culturally-appropriate K-12 health education curriculum, that is aligned with Rhode Island standards and addresses all of the following physical activity topics:
- Benefits of physical activity;
- Health-related fitness;
- Phases of a workout (i.e., warm-up, workout, cool down);
- How much physical activity is enough;
- Developing an individualized physical activity plan;
- Monitoring progress toward physical activity goals;
- Overcoming barriers to physical activity;
- Decreasing sedentary activities such as television viewing;
- Opportunities for physical activity in the community;
- Preventing injury during physical activity;
- Weather-related safety; and
- Dangers of using performance-enhancing drugs.
- Allocate funds and release time to support annual professional development for teachers of health on teaching physical activity.
- Promote collaboration between physical education and health education teachers to ensure consistency in teaching health-related fitness.
- Provide a staff wellness program that includes obesity prevention, weight management, and physical activity.
- Provide access to school physical activity facilities to students, families, staff and/or community-based recreation programs outside of school hours.
- Provide parents and families with information, resources and/or access to programs to increase their involvement in physical activity.
- Ensure that the school nurse and counseling/psychological/social service providers identify and refer students with problems related to weight and/or physical inactivity.
- Actively recruit and involve students, parents, families, and community members in the development and implementation of school health policies and programs, including those related to physical activity.
- Ensure that all playgrounds and facilities for physical education and activity meet safety standards for design, installation, and maintenance.
- Implement a "Safe Routes to School" program, encouraging walking or biking to school and taking steps to ensure that this is as safe as possible.
- Incorporate short stretch and/or activity breaks during regular classroom instruction.
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What data are available about Physical Activity in Rhode Island?
Quick Facts
- Nearly two in five RI children aged six to ten (39.3%) do not exercise (RI Health Information Survey, RI-HIS).
- Among adolescents in RI in 2005, 76% did not receive sufficient moderate exercise and 36% did not receive sufficient vigorous exercise in the previous week. 10% did not participate in any physical activity at all (RI Youth Risk Behavior Survey).**
- In 2004-05, 30% of elementary school students, 33% of middle school students, and 29% of high school students in RI watched 3 or more hours of television on an average school day (SALT Student Survey).
- According to the 2001 RI-HIS, 47% of 6-11 year olds and 27% of 12-17 year olds are overweight or obese.
** Moderate physical activity is defined as participation in physical activities that do not make you sweat or breathe hard. At least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on 5 or more days per week are recommended. Vigorous physical activity is defined as exercise or participation in physical activities that make you sweat or breathe hard. At least 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity on 3 or more days per week are recommended.
More Data
- The RI Youth Risk Behavior Survey has statewide data about physical activity among high school students, such as rates of activity, activity in physical education classes, participation in sports, exercising to lose weight, TV watching, and more, as well as differences between males and females. The "Physical Activity" topical report has key data on physical activity rates and trends. The “Physical Activity and Nutrition" brief for schools” and "2005 Update: Physical Activity and Nutrition" have selected information and suggestions on how schools can use YRBS and other data to improve physical activity and physical education.
- The School Accountability for Learning and Teaching (SALT) Student Survey has school-level and statewide data from the SALT student survey on how much time students in grades 4-12 spend on inactive behaviors such as watching TV, playing video games, using computers, etc. (Click on School Report Cards, search for a school, and click on the “Health” chart link. For more detailed data, click on SALT Survey Reports, search for a school, select a year, select "Student Reports," and then click on one of the “Computer Use and TV Viewing” charts.)
- The 2006 School Health Profiles summary provides basic statewide data about policies and practices related to physical education and physical activity in middle and high schools. More detailed information is available from the principal survey and from the teacher survey.
- The CDC's School Health Policies and Programs Study website has fact-sheets with national data on physical activity in schools and on physical education, as well as a summary of state-level policies related to physical activity and physical education.
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I'm a parent... Where do I go for parent information and resources about Physical Activity?
ParentLinkRI.org
This site has tips for parents on talking to their teens and preteens, including “Let’s Talk About… Physical Activity and Nutrition for Teens.”
Healthy Weight in 2008
Governor Carcieri launched the Healthy Weight in 2008 campaign to encourage Rhode Islanders to reach and maintain a healthy weight.
VERB
This popular site from the CDC encourages young people ages 9–13 (tweens) years to be physically active every day. Also see:
CDC’s Physical Activity Resources for Parents
The CDC has many other free brochures, including:
Parent Brochures from the National Association for Sport & Physical Activity (NASPE)
Families can order the following free brochures:
- “99 Tips for Family Fitness Fun” (English)
- “99 Consejos Divertidos Para Una Familia En Forma” (Spanish)
- “Aim For Balance: Maximize Your Child’s Success”
SmallStep.gov
This site helps people stay healthy, especially when it comes to nutrition and fitness. It has sections for adults and teens, kids, and en Español.
KidsHealth
This site has health information on a variety of topics, including Nutrition and Fitness information for parents. Also see Food and Fitness (for teens) and Staying Healthy (for kids).
We Can: Families Finding the Balance – A Parent Handbook
Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition Learn offers tips to help families find the right balance of eating well and being physically active to maintain a healthy weight.
President’s Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness Awards Program
This site will help you find a fitness program that's right for you, with sections for Adults, Teens, and Kids.
HealthierUS.gov
This is a source of accurate information to help Americans choose to live healthier lives, with sections on Nutrition, Physical Activity, Prevention, and Making Healthy Choices.
National Center on Physical Activity and Disability NCPAD
NCPAD provides information and resources that can enable people with disabilities to become as physically active as they choose to be. Exercise is for EVERY body.
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I'm a teacher... What resources are available on Physical Activity?
For resources specifically for Physical Education Teachers click here.
Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment
Health Literacy for All Students: The Rhode Island Health Education Framework
The Framework outlines the seven RI Health Education Standards, which describe what students should know and be able to do, as a result of K-12 health education instruction.
Comprehensive Health Instructional Outcomes
This document is designed to complement the RI Health Education Framework and it provides a resource to help develop, evaluate, and revise K-12 health education curricula. It provides performance descriptions for each of standards, broken out by health content area, for different grade spans. Physical Activity is covered primarily under the “Personal Health” health content area.
President’s Challenge Programs for Educators
President's Challenge offers the Physical Fitness and Health Fitness programs for educators so teachers can bring out the best in their students.
Minds in Motion
Simple lesson plans from the South Dakota Department of Education integrating physical activity into math, reading, science, and social studies.
PE Central’s Integrated Lesson Ideas
This website area has lesson plans and other resources for classroom teachers to use physical activity to teach academic content in the classroom or in an outdoor play area. It is also appropriate for physical education teachers who wish to teach integrated content.
Energizers
Energizers are classroom based physical activities that integrate physical activity with academic concepts. These are short (about 10 minutes) activities that classroom teachers can use to provide activity to children.
HeartPower!
This is the American Heart Association's curriculum-based program for teaching about the heart and how to keep it healthy for a lifetime. Nutrition, physical activity, living tobacco-free, and knowing how the heart works all are vital in maintaining a healthy heart. HeartPower!'s four key messages about heart health have been categorized by curriculum, lifestyle message, format, and grade level.
Research Tested Intervention Programs (RTIPs)
The National Cancer Institute maintains a list of evidence-based physical activity programs, including:
You Inspire Strong Minds
This is a brochure for teachers from the CDC with ideas for teaching physical activity.
Professional Development
thrive e-Academy
thrive is developing a free tutorial on teaching Physical Activity for teachers of health. Please check back for details.
RITOH - Rhode Island Teachers of Health “Yahoo Group” (listserv)
This listserv is an open forum for RI K-12 teachers who teach health (HE, HE/PE, School Nurse Teachers, elementary classroom teachers, etc.) to:
- Share information, news, trainings, legislative updates, and other resources;
- Ask and respond to each other’s questions;
- Confer about curricula, lessons, and teaching strategies;
- Discuss issues and challenges in schools, and more.
To subscribe, email RITOH-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
RIAHPERD
The Rhode Island Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance provides professional development opportunities that increase knowledge, improve skills, and encourage sound professional practices.
RIAHPERD’s Annual RIAHPERD Conference will be held on Friday, October 27, 2006 at CCRI - Warwick, RI.
Kids First
Kids First provides education and training, promotes awareness, and provides assistance to schools, districts and organizations around nutrition, physical activity, and school food safety issues.
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I'm a school administrator... What tools for schools are available on Physical Activity?
Tools to Assess the School Physical Activity Environment
School Physical Education and Physical Activity Self-assessment Tool
These tool from the Rhode Island Healthy Schools Coalition can help teams take inventory of their school’s physical activity and physical education. These surveys are available in PDF and Word formats:
School Health Index (SHI)
The SHI is a self-assessment and planning tool that schools can use to improve their health and safety policies and programs. It can be done on paper or online and can also be customized to assess only specific topics, including Physical Activity.
Wellness Policy Toolkits
Rhode Island District Health & Wellness Subcommittee Toolkit
thrive, in partnership with the Rhode Island Healthy Schools Coalition, developed the following toolkit to help districts meet the Local Wellness Policy requirement of the federal Child Nutrition Program (see P.L. 108-265, Sec. 204) and the District Health & Wellness Subcommittee requirements of Rhode Island Public Law 05-074/05-076. The toolkit is divided into 5 sections for easy use and reference (Introduction, Process, Tools, Data, and Resources). The Toolkit includes Rhode Island School District Nutrition and Physical Activity Model Policy Language, developed by the Rhode Island Healthy Schools Coalition to serve as a template and offer sample language for districts to use in drafting their own policies, as well various as other tools.
Other Wellness Policy Toolkits/Clearinghouses
Tools to Assess Curricula
Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT)
The HECAT can help school districts, schools, and others conduct a clear, complete, and consistent analysis of health education curricula based on the National Health Education Standards and CDC’s Characteristics of Effective Health Education Curricula. The HECAT includes a Physical Activity Module.
Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)
The PECAT will help school districts conduct a clear, complete, and consistent analysis of written physical education curricula, based upon national physical education standards. The PECAT is customizable to include local standards. The results from the analysis can help school districts enhance existing curricula, develop their own curricula, or select a published curriculum, for the delivery of quality physical education in schools.
Other Resources for Improving Physical Activity in Schools
Guidelines for School and Community Programs to Promote Lifelong Physical Activity Among Young People
These CDC Guidelinesidentify strategies most likely to be effective in helping young people adopt and maintain a physically active lifestyle.
Fit Healthy and Ready to Learn
This policy document was developed by the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) with CDC support. This practical guide helps schools and local school districts establish strong policies on physical activity, nutrition, and other health issues in the context of a coordinated school health program.
“Make a Difference at Your School: Key Strategies to Prevent Obesity”
This 8-page document from the CDC outlines 10 things schools can do to prevent obesity, along with resources to help.
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) in Rhode Island
SRTS is a national program designed to promote walking and biking to school through educational activities, law enforcement, and physical improvements to create a safer environment. Also see:
Reports on Obesity and Physical Activity in Schools
“The Obesity Epidemic: What Schools Can Do”
The December 2004 edition of NASBE’s State Education Standard includes articles on the role of schools, health policies, and more.
“Schools Can Play a Role in Preventing Childhood Obesity”
This fact sheet from the Institute of Medicine’s report Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance identifies promising school-based approaches for prevention efforts.
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Where can I learn more?
Rhode Island Physical Activity Resources
Rhode Island Department of Health Initiative for a Healthy Weight (IHW) coordinates, supports, and implements activities to promote lifelong healthy eating and active living. IHW completed the obesity state plan, Rhode Island's Plan for Healthy Eating and Active Living. The plan is a roadmap for obesity prevention and control efforts in Rhode Island.
Kids First provides education and training, promotes awareness, and provides assistance to schools, districts and organizations around nutrition, physical activity, and school food safety issues.
National Physical Activity Resources
Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK)
AFHK is the only nonprofit organization formed specifically to address the epidemic of overweight, undernourished and sedentary youth by focusing on changes at school. AFHK works in every state to improve children's nutrition and increase physical activity, which will in turn improve their readiness to learn.
Center for Disease Prevention & Control (CDC)
CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health has a page devoted to the topic of Childhood Overweight and schools.
CDC’s Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity has a wealth of information and resources on nutrition and physical activity in school and non-school settings.
The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity
This report outlines strategies that communities can use in helping to address the problems associated with this epidemic.
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Whom do I contact for more information?
Jan Mermin
Health Education Specialist
Rhode Island Department of Education
401-222-8954
Jan.Mermin@ride.ri.gov
Eliza Lawson
Program Manager, Initiative for a Healthy Weight
Rhode Island Department of Health
401-222-4847
Eliza.Lawson@health.ri.gov
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