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Fit Kids Thrive at School

A physical fitness testing and activity program is increasing academic skills in the Texas school system and beyond.

BY DON LONGWELL

are experiencing today in the U.S. and Canada. There is a notable exception: Dr.

T

Kenneth Cooper, founder of the Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas, (read a profile of Cooper in our March 2009 issue) has designed a physi- cal fitness testing program called FITNESSGRAM®

which, together with

a follow-up exercise protocol, has seen excellent results in Texas and in many other states and countries including Canada. This article is directed to school

28 Fitness Business Canada May/June 2009

here are few programs that are successfully counter- ing the shocking trends of childhood obesity and inactivity levels that we

teachers and administrators, to fit- ness facility owners and managers who see ways they could become involved and to parents who share the goal of a healthier, more-active society. We encourage you to respond with your comments and suggestions.

Proportion of Overweight Children in the United States

It is estimated that obesity rates

for children five to 11 years of age increased from 15.1 to 18.8 percent between 1999 and 2004. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 20 percent of children and youth in the U.S. will be obese by 2010. There is an epidemic of adult-onset

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003

diabetes linked to the obesity levels being seen in children. It is estimat- ed that among children born after the year 2000, one of three will develop diabetes. When children develop dia- betes after age 14, their life spans are decreased by an estimated 17 to 27 years. This may make them the first generation to live shorter lives than their parents. Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56