Brain Power

We all recognize the many positive effects that exercise has on the body but did you know that regular physical activity can benefit brain mechanisms?

Research carried out by neurologists at Columbia University Medical Centre in New York earlier this year has found that just as exercise improves muscle tone and function in the body, it can also boost brain power by building new brain cells in a brain region linked with learning and memory.

And according to the research findings published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, what’s good for our hearts and waistlines also is good for our minds. MRI scans of the brains of 11 healthy adults were assessed before and after they embarked upon a three-month aerobic exercise regime and it was found that exercise generated increased blood flow to the brain and the more fit a person became, the more blood flow the MRI detected.

So what's good for the goose is also good for the gander. Kids too need that physical activity break to get the blood flowing throughout the body and throughout the brain. The key to keeping our brains and bodies in tiptop condition is by getting up and active.

Read more about the "Effects of Physical Activity on the Brain."

Shaq's New Website's Big Challenge

Shaq's new show called "Shaq's Big Challenge" kicked off on Tuesday evening. I must admit I didn't tune in. Perhaps I will next week.

I did however stumble upon Shaq's Big Challenge website and was pleasantly surprised. It contained a variety of tools for kids trying to lose weight including:

• The Pledge
  Make the commitment to make some changes in your life.
  
  
• Shaq's Daily Drills
  Don't be a slacker — get your workouts here.
  
  
• The President's Physical Fitness Test
  See how you stack up — your instructions and scorecard.
  
  
• Shaq's Snack Attack
  Don't put garbage in your mouth! Get your fast-food fixes and candy cures here.
  
  
• Download Center
  All the Challenge logs, scorecards, and worksheets you need to join Shaq's team.

Shaq's quote for the week, "Today is the day your dreams start."

It's worth a checking out.............Shaq's Big Challenge Website.

Oregon Mandates Physical Education

Oregon's elementary and middle-school students would have physical education requirements phased in during the next decade as a result of final legislative approval of a bill Tuesday, according to the Statesman Journal.

House Bill 3141 passed the Senate on a 28-1 vote and went to Gov. Ted Kulongoski. It includes $1 million for Senate President Peter Courtney's physical-education proposals, which would require 150 minutes per week for elementary students and 210 minutes per week for middle-school students by 2017.

The money would provide grants for districts to hire and train teachers, and for the Department of Education to collect information on what districts are doing now and what they have to do to comply.

Singers, Statesmen, and Saints

One trend that I hope catches on..........

Singers, statesmen, and saints, among others, have left their mark on the Brooklyn, NY landscape in the form of parks and playgrounds bearing their names. It’s a great tribute to a person to give his name to a public space. What better way is there to keep the name if not the spirit of a person alive than by turning it into something concrete, fun and functional?

The Douglas' Foundation here in CA have been spreading joy and healthy opportunities for children for about a decade now for schools in Los Angeles by donating playground structures to schools.

We have both coasts covered. What's happening in the mid-west? Brad Pitt is from Springfield, MO perhaps he'll catch on.

Kids AND Adults Benefit from Pedometers

Who knew that Leonardo da Vinci invented the pedometer?

The prolific 15th-century inventor and artist sketched what's undoubtedly the world's first pedometer. This pendulum-driven device was strapped to the leg, swinging back and forth to measure distance.

More than 500 years later, his invention — packed with high-tech features — has become all the rage in exercise circles, launching walking groups across the country.

And both adults and chidren are walking their way toward a healthier future, as research shows pedometers do inspire lasting change.

People like toys," said Judith Webb, manager of education for Avenidas, a Palo Alto organization dedicated to fostering the well-being of older adults. Avenidas is a co-organizer of the Lifelong Fitness Alliance in Redwood City, CA.

"Your pedometer becomes your little companion," Webb said. "And it's amazing, when you put one on, you become conscious of what you're doing."

Children benefit from pedometer as well. The We Count Pedometer Program participants (elementary school students) increased their step counts by 40% during a 16 week program.

A parent newsletter component of the program kept parents informed and provided them with physical activity choices for families. Student and parent newsletters cover topics such as: Getting Started Moving; Activity Choices; Walking Tips; Benefits of Physical Activity; Calories: How Much is Enough?; Portion Sizes: Am I Eating too Much?; and When Bigger is Not Better: Portion Sizes.

In 2006 the We Count Pedometer Walking program (published by Peaceful Playgrounds, Inc.)
http://www.peacefulplaygrounds.com
received a national award called the Promising Practices in After School Programming Award.

Shaq to Attack Childhood Obesity-Supports PE

Next Sunday, Shaquille O'Neal, the 7-foot, 325-pound center from pro basketball's Miami Heat, works with 6 overweight youth on his new ABC reality show, "Shaq's Big Challenge."

O'Neal's mission: to transform the lives of six obese children -- none of whom can run a mile -- into fit, active kids with a healthful outlook on life. It won't be easy with this bunch. One of the boys is addicted to "pizza burritos," and another enjoys bowls of popcorn doused with two sticks of melted butter.

But the threat to children's health goes beyond the home, as O'Neal sees it: The abundance of junk food and lack of focus on physical education in the nation's schools also are problems.

"I had mandatory P.E.," he said. "Now, only six percent of schools have mandatory P.E. That's terrible," according to O'Neal.

Lincoln-Titus Elementary Schools: "You can't say, you can't play

This year Lincoln-Titus Elementary School embraced a school wide initiative to develop a model Peaceful Playground. The Peaceful Playground Program is a way for schools to organize and manage their playgrounds. It provides materials and resources that allow schools to make better use of a given playground area. It also incorporates a variety of games that enable more students to participate in an organized activity. They have an organizational committee of volunteer parents, working under chairperson Peter Connolly, ready to plan. Within the school, they are already working to develop universal playground rules (e.g. You can’t say, you can’t play.) and teaching strategies for children to use when resolving conflicts.

The Character Education Committee at Lincoln Titus expanded their program over the past couple of years. One area in which they feel character awareness is necessary is on the playground. The Peaceful Playground program is a fundamental way to bring character education outside of the school as well as inside. With great enthusiasm, the school community has already embraced the theme of a peaceful playground. At October’s school-wide assembly, themed fairness, the Student Council performed a skit to encourage the school to play fairly using the peaceful playground rules. They reinforced language, such as, “You can’t say, you can’t play” and “walk, talk, rock.” The Council also showed the school how to solve problems using the game, Rock, Paper, Scissors. Next year the Student Council’s mission is to promote the new playground and they are excited to meet this challenge.

Exercise: To Encourage Walking, Make It Personal

People who want some exercise often need to do little more than get off their, er, couches and go for a walk. Despite numerous studies linking walking to better health, many people cannot seem to bring themselves to do even that.

Now a new study reports that the most successful health initiatives to encourage walking tend to use “targeting and tailoring.” They are aimed at people who are most likely to be responsive, and they are geared to individual goals.

“In other words,” the researchers write in BMJ Online First, “one size may not fit all.”

The researchers found that some of the most effective advice was given individually, as when a doctor counsels a patient to exercise, or was aimed at individual households. Groups formed so people can walk together also help. But broader initiatives, like a schoolwide or companywide effort, tended to work less well.

It helped, the researchers found, if people were reminded to walk, including by phone or e-mail, and if they had pedometers to keep track of their progress.

Walking Program Tips
Use pedometer for motivation and step counting
Remind participants to walk using email or phone.
Dr.'s advice most effective in change

This study was conducted with adults. For pedometer walking program tips with children check out We Count a children's walking program.

Expert provides strategies for overweight children

Pediatrician David Ludwig, author of "Ending the Food Fight" and director of the Optimal Weight for Life Program at Children's Hospital Boston describes two pillars of parenting that form the foundation of his obesity-prevention approach.

The first is protecting the family environment -- creating a home that makes it easy and convenient to make smart choices. That means stocking the fridge and pantry with the foods and beverages you want to encourage, such as low-fat milk, water and 100 percent juice instead of sugary sodas and fruit drinks.

The second is modeling. Rather than pressuring your kids to eat certain foods, your best bet is to eat those foods yourself. A parent's own behavior is one of the most powerful influences of all, Ludwig said. "If you do it, they'll learn to do it."

Click more information on experts warning parents on child obesity and Ludwig's information.

Schools Not to Blame in Childhood Obesity Crisis

Vending-machine junk food, too few gym classes — schools make kids fat, right? Not so, says a new study in the American Journal of Public Health, which found that 5- to 7-year-olds gain weight twice as quickly during the lazy days of summer than the busy school year. Tips for battling the bulge, from the American Dietetic Association:

• Stick to the same meal and snack schedule as during the school year. Kids are less likely to eat constantly when they follow a regular routine.

• Keep a variety of low-fat, high-fiber treats around, like fresh fruit, to encourage kids to pick healthy foods.

• Get your child outside to play tag, climb trees — anything that gets him moving instead of vegging.

• Enroll him in a class or activity he likes to put some structure into the week. Even better: Find something fun you can do together.

Parenting, July 2007

School Discipline Program Success Stories

The playground fight began as many do, with a disagreement over whether a ball was in or out.The scuffle escalated into name-calling and pushing between two fourth-graders at Madison's Emerson Elementary School.

A couple of years ago, the students likely would have been suspended. But under a new approach to discipline being tried in the district, the students instead were given the option of coming up with a fix-it plan -- something more than just saying, "I'm sorry."

The students chose to spend all of their recesses over the next two days playing catch with a football, just the two of them."They came back and reported that they did much better playing together, and that was the end of it," said school social worker Mike Behlke.The new approach is based on creating an "above-the-line classroom," a model by national school consultant Corwin Kronenberg that sets well-defined expectations, then rewards students whose behavior is above the line and requires fix-it plans from those who slip below.

Emerson students who misbehave are asked, "Do you want a fix it' or a consequence?" About 99 percent choose a fix-it plan, which they must come up with themselves.
More on .........Above-the-line Discipline

Peaceful Playgrounds is another alternative to consider for the school yard blues. Disagreements are settled, not with loud arguments, but with constructive talk and sometimes “rock, paper, scissors.” This is Peaceful Playground at work.

The Peaceful Playground program encompasses all school personnel. Teachers, students, and lunch supervisors were all trained in the five components of Peaceful Playground: consistent set of rules, solutions to conflicts, game markings, appropriate use and care of equipment, and consistent expectations.

The Peaceful Playground concept was initially presented to the PTO and staff by Maureen Borowski, physical education teacher at Field Elementary School in Park Ridge, IL to support the Civil Behavior school improvement goal.

According to Borowski, "I have not had to settle one playground conflict this year. I attribute this to our Peaceful Playground."

Students are learning to take ownership of problem solving. They love this program. They have even written about it during an all school writing activity,” said Anne Ham, fifth grade teacher.

“When Mrs. Creely, our principal, presented the writing samples at a PTO meeting, many parents noticed the vast number of positive comments regarding the Peaceful Playground. That says a lot about the success of the program.” To learn more about the Peaceful Playgrounds Program at Field Elementary School.....

NYC to Open School Playgrounds for Summer

The city will open up 69 school playgrounds to the public within a few weeks as part of its plan to have every New Yorker live within a 10-minute walk of a park by 2030. The majority of public school playgrounds are closed to the public after school hours, and the city wants to open up around 290 of them for public use. The plan, which will involve major construction work on about 190 of the schoolyards, is expected to cost about $114.5 million. more

Over 200 of the 650 NYC Schools have implemented the Peaceful Playgrounds Program which may provide as many as 100 painted games and markings on school campuses. Peaceful Playgrounds is the ideal urban school program as they typically consist of limited play space and predominately asphalt surfaces.

The purpose of the Peaceful Playground Program is to introduce children and school staff to the many choices of activities available on playgrounds and field areas. Each Peaceful Playgrounds Blueprint is designed to assist with measurements, layout, spacing and game placement, as well as provide an overall picture of the final design outcome of a Peaceful Playground.

The Ideal Recess!

Each companion Activity Guide lists age appropriate rules and activities for the game markings found in the blueprint. The Blueprint and Playground Guide is a "do-it-yourself" layout plan for painting and designing your own playground.

IS RECESS A FRIVOLOUS WASTE OF TIME WITH NO APPARENT OUTCOMES?

Elementary school recess has no teacher-designed objectives, and many school districts throughout the country have abolished recess in favor of more time for academic learning. The schoolyard is notorious for being the place where children are most likely to squabble over equipment, call each other hurtful names, make disgusting faces, and mock, taunt, or bully younger children in order to demonstrate their own superiority. These two major concerns prompt the question, "Should recess remain a feature of a school’s ongoing programming?" Opponents to recess are quick to answer "no." However, many policymakers are unaware of the substantial physical and social changes that recess can provide over time, as the child is promoted to advanced grade levels. According to Rhonda Clements in TC Record, recent research has indicated that physical play increases the growth of the fundamental nervous centers of the brain, thus boosting the child’s mental efficiency. When considering the emotional and social benefits of recess, policymakers also should remember that the schoolyard is a setting for increased group interaction, language development, and emotional growth. This is especially true when the child plays with peers of different ethnic backgrounds, physical abilities, and age groups. Unlike the classroom setting that organizes children according to the same chronological age for learning, the schoolyard allows mixed age groups to interact in a social context. Children can develop an appreciation and tolerance for each other’s differences by sharing cultural games, hand-clapping chants, and other ethnic understandings. Small group games also can foster a child’s self-control, perseverance, and feelings of loyalty. In addition, recess serves as an outlet for releasing stress.
http://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentID=13499

Teachers College Record, Date Published: February 20, 2007
http://www.tcrecord.org ID Number: 13499, Date Accessed: 6/15/2007 3:52:32 PM

Runners hit the wall in China: Make that the Great Wall Marathon

Upon reading about the Great Wall Marathon I ask myself, "Is that really possible?" If you've been to the great wall (see insert I visited it in 2000) running on the great wall seems impossible basically because the steps are uneven, straight up and solid rock. However, it seems that last week a great many contestants did just that.

The Great Wall Marathon®

Marathon, Half Marathon, 10 km & 5 km on the Great Wall of China
17th May 2008
The Great Wall Marathon® is a tough, beautiful and definitely extraordinary experience. The 3700 steps of the Great Wall will put your physique to the test, and the breathtaking surroundings of Tianjin Province will compete with your tired muscles for attention. The Great Wall Marathon® is the ideal way to combine an unusual running event with exploring one of the world’s most astonishing sights.

Sound interesting? Visit the MSNBC site to view pictures, videos of this year's event and registration information for the 2008 Great Wall Marathon. http://www.great-wall-marathon.com/

DEATH & TAXES: A GUIDE TO HOW Your FEDERAL DOLLARS ARE SPENT

The 2008 federal discretionary budget request for the United States is $1.075 trillion. At the link below, you can find a graph that depicts the president’s budget request for 2008.. It will be debated, amended, and approved by Congress, ideally by October 1, to begin the next year. The discretionary budget includes spending that must be approved by Congress every year. It is paid for largely with your federal income taxes and includes all departments within the federal government. Unlike Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, which are paid for by separate taxes, the discretionary budget is a uniquely revealing look at our national priorities. It fluctuates yearly according to the wishes of the president, the power of the Congress, and the will of the people. Overall, military/national security funding represents $717 billion or 67 percent of the President’s discretionary budget. Non-military/security spending is $358 billion or 33 percent. Click the link below to examine specific agency budgets, including the Department of Education.

Note: The Safe and Drug Free Schools Office budget which funds both Partnership for Character Education Grants and Physical Education for Progress Grants (PEP) is experiencing a projected cut of funding by 38%.

For a unique look at the PROPOSED Federal budget .
http://www.thebudgetgraph.com/poster/

Free passes help kids get fit

How do you convince kids to get off the computer or couch and get more active? Give them free passes to municipal pools, rinks, gyms and recreation centres, which is what occurred in Kingston, Ontario, when school district officials copied an idea which reportedly originated in Delta, B.C. The Kingston Gets Active and Active2010 initiative was formally evaluated by Queen's University researchers from the school of kinesiology and health studies.

Katie Faloon, lead researcher of the evaluation, said the initiative, which sees every grade five student in Kingston and surrounding townships get a free, one-year pass, has been so successful that it will be extended to grade 10 students in the fall. The pass is a partnership among the Limestone District School Board, YMCA, and various communities.

Faloon, who now works for the Public Health Agency of Canada, said about 2,500 students in the Kingston area have been offered the passes and according to the study, nearly three-quarters of the grade five students have taken advantage of it to increase their physical activity levels.

The researchers found that the free pass program eliminated the usual barriers and excuses which kids usually cite about why they don't get more exercise: cost, lack of equipment, safety, homework and facility hours.

Julie Halfnight, a Delta municipal analyst, said the grade five pass program is used to varying degrees by about 80 per cent of kids who get the passes and is revenue neutral because kids bring with them their paying parents or older siblings.

"But this free pass program for kids is a great step forward because overweight kids present some of our greatest challenges and we need ideas like this which are like jump starts, not just incremental steps," said Hogg, who will speak Tuesday at the 19th International Union for Health Promotion and Education World conference.

More on free passess help kids get fit.

Prayer in Schools at Recess?

Could prayer in schools be making a comeback?

Two attorneys in California say it could.

Late last week, a legal opinion letter was sent to San Diego's Board of Education by two attorneys on behalf of Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) – a legal group that protects religious freedom. In the letter, Pete Lepiscopo and former State Sen. Bill Morrow – who recently formed Lepiscopo & Morrow, LLP – argued for prayer rights for Christian and Jewish students in the school system since a group of Muslim students had already been given the right earlier.
(Carver Charter School incident last week).

Should the district agree, it would be a large victory towards getting prayer back into public education settings, the attorneys say.

“The School District has created the opportunity to return prayer to school,” explained Lepiscopo, in a statement. “What can be better than children praying while they are in school?"

Prayer in school has been an increasingly controversial subject over the past years and has mostly disappeared from the public sector to keep the separation of church and state.

The attorneys are now asking that classrooms be set aside for at least one hour a day, so that other religious students, as well as faculty, can meet their needs for prayer. The time would be during recess as to make it not obligatory.

More........

What Makes a Great Public Playground?

WASHINGTON, June 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Summer is here and with it comes trips to the local playground for a little frolic and fun. Sure, we all know that kids love to swing and slide and if you're lucky, your local playspace will accommodate these basic needs. But, what makes a great playground? What types of activities and equipment are going to stimulate your children so that they are getting most out of their playground experience?

"You will know it's a great place to play when your kids not only beg you to go, but beg you to stay longer," says Darell Hammond, CEO of KaBOOM!, a non-profit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child. "That's when you know you've hit the play jackpot!"

  Here is a list of key elements that make a great playspace:

Motion

A playspace should encourage kids to run, jump, toss, throw, hop, slide, swing, climb and MOVE. Play equipment should have moving parts: swings, activity panels and balance activities with movable parts.

Incorporates Nature

A great playspace should incorporate the natural world around it. A lot of green space is key for activity and elements such as sand and water give kids a dynamic environment that allows them to use their manipulative skills.

Interesting to Look At

Your local playground should look, sound and feel interesting. Sound, color and texture excite the senses and ignite your child's imagination.

Overhead Events

This is a fancy term for anything that makes kids use their upper bodies. Monkey bars, monorails, chain ladders and a whole lot more are all play components that encourage upper body development.

Balance

Balance is an important skill for children to develop -- and what's more, they usually have fun doing it! Playgrounds should have unusual balance elements, which test their participants' balancing savvy.

Multigenerational

A great playspace should be appealing to the entire family. Everyone should want to go and use the facility. An ideal space has plenty of shade elements, picnic tables as well as benches.

Website: http://www.kaboom.org/

For information on What makes a school playground great? Visit Peaceful Playgrounds.

Central Elementary SchoolDemonstrating their commitment to a safe, bully-free, respectful community that facilitates the social and emotional growth of children, Central Elementary School introduces an integrated approach that highlights Peaceful Playgrounds.

Teacher Talk Magazine - Park Ridge, IL
Field puts Peace of Mind into Playgrounds - February 2006 Students are learning to take ownership of problem solving. They love this program...

W. L. Morse Newsletter - Sleepy Hollow, NY
New Peaceful Playground - April 2006
Children were distributed evenly, laughing and playing peacefully...

Louisiana Department of Education
A Plan for Playground Games - March 2005
As many as 80 percent of children voluntarily participate in game play...

Improved Nutrition and Physical Activity Legislation

Congresswoman Mary Bono (CA-45) joined forces today on the issue of children's health by urging Congress to support the Improved Nutrition and Physical Activity Act (IMPACT Act), H.R. 2677. The bill, which was introduced today by Bono and Congresswomen Nita M. Lowey (NY-18), Kay Granger (TX-12) and Congressman Jim Ramstad (MN-3), encourages cross-sector collaborations for improving the health of young people and ensures that community partnerships approach youth health comprehensively by addressing physical activity, nutrition and emotional wellness.

"This bill takes the critical step necessary to support health services that address the looming crisis of eating disorders and obesity, especially among America's youth," expressed Bono. "This legislation will provide the tools necessary to support partnerships between our academic institutions and organizations that are working to promote the dangers of obesity and eating disorders. Our inability to address the poor health of our citizens will escalate the continued trend in rising health care costs."

County School Board Exercises Authority Over Physical Activity

Trend setters??

The Prince George's County Board of Education recently passed a resolution just for the health of it. They supported legislation to increase time for daily physical activity for students during the recently completed legislative session.
At the May 17 board meeting, board members wore athletic gear from various county high schools, and they unanimously passed a resolution directing Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Deasy to develop a plan for a three-year phase in of daily physical exercise for all students in prekindergarten through 12th grade.

In considering physical activity and childhood obesity interventions be sure to checkout the San Diego County Office of Education PEP Grant Funded intervention called "Shaping Up, It's Elementary". The short video spells out intervention strategies to get kids active and moving including SPARK, Peaceful Playgrounds and Pedometers.

Fitness and nutrition a hot topic for Lawerance Public Schools

Wellness is a hot topic among parents and students in Lawrence public schools and school leaders say that means their controversial policy to help improve nutrition and fitness is a hit. Watch video of school board discussion.

District staff on Monday reported to the school board their progress on wellness goals set about a year ago.

More than 75 percent of nutrition and nutrition education goals have been met, staff reported. Whole-grain foods are offered daily. Vending machines include healthier options. A la carte lunch items have less fat and calories than before. And more students are dropping their habit of eating a la carte snacks and buying meals instead.

But it’s still a challenge to curb the practices of selling unhealthy foods for fundraising and using treats for classroom rewards, said Paula Murrish, the district’s food services director.

“Trying to be creative and to break a habit is difficult,” Murrish said.

NJ starting agency to battle obesity

Jersey's health department is escalating the battle against the bulge by starting a new Office of Nutrition and Fitness to better coordinate programs aimed at preventing obesity. The agency is particularly needed in New Jersey - possibly the first state to create such a government body. The Garden State has the highest percentage of overweight and obese children under age 5, at 17.7 percent, according to a 2004 survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New Jersey also has many black and Latino youth, who are more likely to be overweight than white kids. More on New Jersey's Office of Nutrition and Fitness.

Step Guidelines and MVPA Targets Using Pedometers

A study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was designed to translate ACSM/CDC public health guidelines for 30 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity into steps. Researchers at San Diego State University and Arizona State University utilized commercial pedometers on a community sample of adults. Their results support an approximate 100 step/minute recommendation for minimally moderate intensity. To meet ACSM/CDC recommendations, this equates to 3,000 steps in 30 minutes, or three daily bouts of 1,000 steps in 10 minutes.

While pedometers are useful tools to measure step counts, researchers noted pedometer-derived steps should be used with caution for gauging moderate intensity walking. Step counts associated with moderate intensity walking should be individualized based on stride length and level of fitness. ACSM defines moderate intensity walking as "brisk" walking, or "walking with purpose." Walkers should be able to talk comfortably at a moderate-intensity level, but still feel exertion. Other definitions have included a pace at which you break a sweat and/or have a slight increase in your heart rate.

"Walking is one of the easiest forms of physical activity, and one that most people can do to meet recommendations for daily exercise," said Simon J. Marshall, Ph.D., lead author of the study. "Most people have an instinct about the length of time or the distance they walk. A pedometer can help count steps, but when you also try to walk at least 1000 steps in 10 minutes on a regular basis, you may gain significant health benefits.

MVPA Step Count Targets
100 Steps each minute
1000 Steps in 10 minutes
3000 Steps in 30 minutes

Description of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity
"brisking walking"
"walking with a purpose"

Physical indications of MVPA
be able to talk comfortably at a moderate-intensity level
a pace at which you break a sweat
slight increase in your heart rate

The pedometer-derived step count study was conducted with adults.

It should be noted that pedometers are an inexpensive tool for gaging students physical activity levels as well. "The devices can be particularly motivating for children. The kids can get very competitive to see who gets the most steps..." - iVillage Health

To find out more about the use of pedometers with children visit the Peaceful Playgrounds Website and download their "Don't Sit, Get Fit" Pedometer Powerpoint Presentation. It includes daily step targets for students as well as, step targets for a 30 minutes recess or physical education period.

Closed door vote violates open meeting rule

When Big Hollow School District 38 officials voted to cut lunch, gym, recess, the arts and extracurricular activities, among other programs, they appear to have violated a state open-meetings law and may have ignored some education code requirements, officials said Wednesday.

The Lake County state's attorney's office notified school officials that the board's May 21 vote was improper because the school board took final action on an issue that was not posted on its meeting agenda, said Meg Marcouiller, chief deputy of the state's attorney's civil division.

School board members announced last week they plan to shorten the school day by 45 minutes to 5 1/2 hours and cut the lunch program, recess, art, music, computer classes and extracurricular activities next fall as a result of a recently failed tax referendum. They also eliminated physical education for kindergarten through 5th grade, according to a press release.

The state requires that physical education, art and music are taught in elementary grades unless a special waiver is granted, said Matt Vanover, spokesman for the Illinois State Board of Education.

Chicago Tribune

A healthy discount

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan unveiled a new PPO plan that promises lower co-pays and deductibles for employees that take steps to stay healthy. Detroit-based Blue Cross announced the new plan Wednesday afternoon during the Detroit Regional Chamber's Mackinac Policy Conference. The plan, called Healthy Blue Incentives, will be offered to self-funded groups with 50 or more employees and is planned to launch in July.

Walk to School Incentive

Every morning there's school, rain or shine, Christina Parker shepherds a group of children through the woods in Newton. "The kids love it," said Parker, 50. "It's obviously a tremendous way to start the day. It's healthy. It just makes a lot more sense to me to be walking instead of driving." Parker's flock came together informally. But such groups may soon get a boost from a bill pending in the Legislature that would distribute federal funds to communities to promote walking and biking to school. The Safe Routes to Schools Bill is designed to help communities establish safety education programs; install new crosswalks, bike lanes, and signs; construct and replace sidewalks and traffic-calming bumps; and build multi use trails connecting to schools. More...

Information from the federal Centers for Disease Control's KidsWalk-to-School program can be found at www. cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/kidswalk.
Boston Globe Article

#1 bullying issue on playground is obesity

A recently released study from Australia indicates that being overweight as a child is the number one reason why children are bullied. It has overtaken difference in appearance, acne, dress or glasses as the top reason why kids are bullied in Australia.

Figures show that 25-30 of Australian children are obese or overweight and this figure is rising exponentially rising.

It should also be noted that 1-5 Australian adults say they were bullied about their weight as a child as well.

More on playground bullying.

Looking for a research based bullying prevention program? Peaceful Playgrounds research indicates that bullying is substantially reduced when adding 100 games and markings to the playground. With more to do children have fewer problems and are physically active in games, thus a decrease in bullying incidents.

CHINA: Physical education a must for K-16 schools and colleges

China's cabinet held a video-teleconference on Friday in Beijing to urge all schools to implement a guideline aimed at improving students' health. Zhou Ji, Minister of Education, called on all schools to take immediate measures to strengthen physical education and ensure students have one hour of sports every day. "High schools and primary schools should encourage students to spend more time on physical exercise," Zhou said. "Schools will not be allowed to have students attend extra lessons at weekends or holidays in future."

The Guideline on Strengthening Adolescent Physical Education and Improving Adolescent Physique, released by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Thursday, aims at ensuring the good health of Chinese teenagers. According to the guideline, all primary and high schools should guarantee physical education lessons "with quality and quantity".

Grade one and two primary school students should have four physical education lessons a week; grade three to six primary school students and junior high school students three a week; and senior high school students two a week. Schools should allow students who do not have PE lessons, to have one hour's collective physical exercise after class every day. Colleges and universities should ensure every student takes extra-curricular physical exercise at least three times every week.

Fire Shrek Hysteria? What's it all about................

Somehow I missed the whole Shrek hysteria discussion. Not about the new release of the Shrek 3 but rather about using Shrek as the spokesman for the Health and Human Services Public Service Announcements (PSA's) encouraging children to lead healthy lives.

Citing the numerous junk food promotions linked to Shrek the Third, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) has launched a letter-writing campaign to urge the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to remove Shrek from his role as spokescharacter for the department’s healthy lifestyles and childhood obesity campaign.

The letter campaign appears to have worked. HHS pulled the Shrek PSA's saying they would be on hold for now. Read on about the Shrek PSA's.

You've heard of the Palm Beach Diet? How about the city diet?

Somerville, Massachusetts went on a diet. The whole city. In an effort to curb childhood obesity schools cooked with fresh foods, offered fruits and vegetables, and adopted a new health curriculum. Restaurants in the town changed their portion sizes and switched to low-fat dairy products and offered fruit and veggies as side dishes. Program leaders taught yoga, soccer and dance. Then researchers met with parents, teachers and school officials to explain the importance of avoiding meals high in fat and sugar and encouraging children to be active.

Researchers also sent newsletters to parents and other members of the community each month offering health tips and coupons for healthy foods and updates on the project. Somerville school nurses were trained to keep track of students’ weight gain and counsel families with a child at risk of becoming overweight.

The study was funded with a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Click for more information on the Somerville Play Hard, Eat Smart project.

The new 3 R's : Reading, Writing and Running

Last October, Education Minister Gerard Kennedy, of Ontario Canada, announced a mandatory 20-minute minimum of physical activity in schools each day. In addition, schools were invited to take the healthy school challenge by starting a new healthy activity. More than 1,200 schools in Ontario have accepted the challenge. In addition to in-class activities and gym class three times a week, the whole school goes for a 20-minute morning walk in the fall and spring.

* Between 1981 and 1996, the number of obese children in Canada between seven and 13 tripled,according to the Ontario government.

The reasons cited for the mandatory daily physical activity requirement were:

* Ninety-one per cent of chidren and youth do not meet the guidelines set by Canada's Physical Activity Guide for Children and Youth, according to the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institutes and fewer than one-third of paretns are aware of the recommended guidelines.

* A study from the Canadian Journal of Public Health says academic performance is maintained or even enhanced by an increase in a student's level of physical activity.

More on the Canadian physical activity mandate.

For more information on what school interventions and policies on nutrition and physical activity visit Peaceful Playgrounds and download such topics as: Nutrition and Schools -April 2004, Stopping Childhood Obesity- April 2004 and An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure-Feb. 2005.