Physical Education in Schools
Made By Emma Prince
Percentage of Obese Children Around the Unites States
Introduction
Right now the United States is at its peak for obesity and unhealthiness. Almost 85% of the population is at an unhealthy weight, including adults and school age children (Mello). There are, in fact, many ways to avoid this, one being staying physically fit. Physical activity is any movement that uses up energy. Also, physical activity helps students stay healthy throughout their lives and live longer than students who do not exercise (85 Levchuck, Drohan, Kosek). Being unhealthy and inactive can lead to serious illnesses and diseases later in life (“Help Your Child Stay at a Healthy Weight”).
Claim
Physical education in schools should be a mandatory class for all ages since childhood obesity is at an all time high and physical activity has many benefits to living a great life (85 Levchuck, Drohan, Kosek)!
Body Paragraph
Children in the United States are becoming more obese by the minute. We can stop this by making fitness classes required for all students from kindergarten through twelfth grade (“Obesity in K-8 Students”). The children who do not exercise at least sixty minutes per day can have serious health problems. Some of these problems include heart disease, type two diabetes, asthma, insomnia and even death (“Help Your Child Stay at a Healthy Weight”). Students who are obese go through the same health struggles as children with cancer. They both have horrible lives that leave them feeling sick and weak. What child would want to go through that? Health care costs for these obese children are also going up. Right now, it costs about $75 billion dollars for obese families around the Unites States. The more the health care costs rise; the more people should realize we have a serious problem on our hand (Mello). By adding just a sixty-minute physical education class to every grade we can decrease weight and health care cost, which in turn makes children happier and healthier (85 Levchuck, Drohan, Kosek). Since many of our youth are very unhealthy, making physical education class mandatory is an excellent way to improve overall health!
Concessions and Rebuttal
Some people point to the severe mental stress that a physical education class puts on some students who are not able to perform as well as their classmates. They are embarrassed, and their self-esteem suffers. But, research shows that physical activity benefits both the mind and the body. By adding regular activity to students’ daily lives, confidence and physical fitness will improve over time. The more students exercise the better attitude they have about life. Exercising releases endorphins, which leaves people feeling great about themselves! Even playing tag or a pick-up game of basketball is a great way to feel better. Physical activity can also help people look and feel better by increasing strength and toning muscles, which also helps improve self- esteem. Regular exercise has been shown to support mental health. So, if kids are required to do some sort of physical activity, their self-esteems will rise in the long run and they will be set up for a long, healthy life. (85-95 Levchuck, Drohan, Kosek).
Conclusion
Since physical activity has many benefits and many of our nation’s children are obese, physical education classes should be required in all grades. Some of the benefits include increased self-esteem and weight loss. Also, America’s kids are overweight right now, which is a big problem causing many sicknesses and even death. So, by making physical education classes mandatory, we can stop this madness!
Works Cited
Drohan, Michele Kosek, Jane Kelly Levchuck, Caroline. Healthy Living. Thomas L. Romig,
2000. Print.
“Help your child stay at a healthy weight.” Health Finder. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.
Mello, Michelle M. “Obesity-Personal Choice or Public Health Issue?” Nature Clinical
Practice. 2008. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.
“Obesity in K-8 Students- New York City 2006-07 to 2010-11.” Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. United States Federal Government, 16 December 2011. Web. 11
March. 2014.