Texas kids not so fit
Categories: Kids 8-11, Teens & tweens, Fun & activities, Eating & nutrition
According to the results of what is being called the largest test of its kind, kids in Texas aren't doing so well in the whole fitness and health area. More than two and a half million students were tested and the study found that the majority of kids were out of shape. Two-thirds of the third graders were failed to reach healthy performance levels in the six areas that were tested, including strength, stamina, and body composition. Nine out of ten twelfth graders failed to measure up."Our children's health is in jeopardy," worries state Senator Jane Nelson. "We cannot allow an entire generation of Texans to grow up and live a shorter life than previous generations." More than four-fifths of all Texas third- through twelfth-graders were tested this year, with results getting progressively worse as the students got older.
One mom tried to put the blame on the schools, saying "You have our children nine hours a day, and you have them during peak hours. When exactly am I supposed to give my kid a workout? At 9pm?" I guess schools go longer in Texas than they do here, and prepare all the kids' meals as well. Good thing kids never sit around and play video games at home!
Sadly, I suspect this problem is not limited to Texas -- I think we all have to keep an eye on our kids' -- and our own -- lifestyles. As jobs and pastimes become less physical and more sedentary, it seems to me that we need to make more of an effort to get out from behind the computer screens and out on the hiking and biking trails.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Krystiana 7-07-2008 @ 1:23AM
Well the mother does have a point, they have us anywhere from 7-9 hours a day (depending on where your living) with 45 minute gym classes and then you have to go home and do 30- 60 or more, mins of homework, then you eat dinner and by the time your done with dinner its dark out. I personally think that school should start after dinner (at like five) so the kids have the day to run around, even if that means like, 6 hours of school....
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Monica 7-07-2008 @ 8:28AM
Actually the big issue is there IS no more gym class, or at least it's been reduced to 1-2x per week. Add to that most school districts have reduced recess and more and more are banning tag and running games due to liability concerns and you've got kids that get yelled at for running around.
It's hard to fit in time for family exercise, but it's part of that huge balancing act of the 20 hours of stuff you want and need to do that has to fit into the typical 6 hours of evening time.
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ninainindia 7-07-2008 @ 9:02AM
No the mother doesn't have a point. Children sit in front of the TV when they get home from school when they should go outside to play.
The parent feeds the child breakfast, packs the lunch and prepares diner, where in there is there room to blame the school? Schools are for education not for making children live healthy.
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