Recently, I blogged about the impact physical education has on the health of our children. Although there is debate (both in the study I referenced and reaction to the blog) regarding the effectiveness of P.E., a new program in Iowa is using P.E. and a variety of other methods to improve the health of young people across the state. The Healthy Kids Act was signed into law last year and will go into effect next year in schools across Iowa. There will be physical activity standards, mandatory CPR training and healthier food choices in schools. For example, soda will not be sold in schools, and the only way for students to get it will be to bring it themselves. Lunch entrees will be less than 400 calories, and a food will not be offered if more than 35% of the calories come from sugar and fat. Every student in grades K-3 will need at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day. Students in grades 6-12 will be required to have at least 120 minutes of activity per week. If physical education classes don't help the children meet these requirements, then the school will work with parents to develop a plan that the parents will need to monitor. Sports will count, as will non-traditional activities like volunteering to shovel a neighbor's driveway or rake leaves. The schools also plan an educational component to the program, so that they aren't just requiring exercise, but also teaching the children about healthy living. I remember when I was in grade school, there were no vending machines and you certainly couldn't buy a Pepsi at school. The drink choices at lunch were white or chocolate milk, or orange drink. (Of course I always went for the chocolate.) You could bring your own drink, but soda was not allowed. I usually packed my lunch, but Mondays were "Chicken Nugget Day". So I enjoyed nuggets with a side of French fries once a week. My, how times have changed. Although they might have some hurdles with the implementation of this program (such as parental participation in the physical activity requirements), I think this is a GREAT step to improving the health of our young people. I would love to see more states enact such standards. What do you think? |
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