You’ve likely heard the good news that childhood obesity rates are beginning to level off in some parts of the country – including New York City, Philadelphia, Mississippi and California. Although we’re seeing some improvements, childhood obesity rates remain disproportionately high in communities of color.
One thing we can do to address this problem is help children be more active. People who live in communities of color often have fewer opportunities to get the physical activity they need to stay healthy. They often lack high-quality, well-maintained recreational facilities, parks, sidewalks and green spaces where kids can walk, bike or play. In addition, crime and dangerous traffic often prevent children in communities of color from walking or biking to school – even if they want to.
Physical inactivity has no doubt contributed to the fact that nearly four in ten African American and Hispanic children and adolescents are overweight or obese. As we work to break down the barriers that prevent kids from being active in our communities, let’s make the most of the opportunities to encourage and support physical activity in our schools.
As educators, you’re aware that most kids spend nearly half of their waking hours in school. But very few have regular time for physical activity. In fact, daily physical education is provided in only 4 percent of elementary schools, 8 percent of middle schools, and 2 percent of high schools across the nation.
The federal Physical Activity Guidelines for youths suggest 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day, and just recently the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition found that the most evidence points to school-based programs when it comes to increasing physical activity among youths.
Providing our students with opportunities for quality physical activity during school will improve their health, and it may also help raise test scores. Studies have shown integrating physical activity and education classes into the normal school day not only improves fitness, but also can improve students’ academic achievement by increasing their attention span and concentration, reducing boredom and anxiety, and increasing students’ self-esteem. Simply put, when students get to be physically active, they are better behaved, more focused, and more ready to learn.
It’s clear that students of color continue to face difficult barriers to living healthy, successful lives. That’s why it’s so important that we work together – as advocates and educators – to promote strategies and policies that work. By investing time and resources into quality physical education classes and increasing opportunities for physical activity in school, we can help every student in every school learn better and live healthier.
Dr. Maya Rockeymoore is President and CEO of Global Policy Solutions, a policy consulting firm in Washington, DC and director of Leadership for Healthy Communities, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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