Nearly 10 million children and adolescents in the United States ages 6–19 are considered overweight.  Over the last three decades the prevalence of overweight in adolescents has quadrupled from 4 percent in 1971-74 to 17 percent in 2003-06.  One important way to prevent obesity is to increase physical activity. Schools can play a critical role in increasing physical activity by offering quality, daily physical education and other opportunities to recreate. Physical education not only gives children an opportunity to be active but it teaches them the skills they need to be active throughout their lifetime.   Thus, investing in quality physical education in all schools for all grades is a logical and important step toward improving the health of the next generation.

Unfortunately, very few states require daily physical education in grades K-12.   In an era when increasing obesity and rising healthcare costs are threatening our competitive advantage and national security, we are cutting the very programs that could help reverse this trend. That’s why the American Heart Association is working in every state and at the federal level to require that quality physical education be offered in all grades.  We recommend a minimum standard for elementary students of 150 minutes a week and for middle schools of 225 minutes per week. We also recommend that successfully completing physical education be a requirement for high school graduation.  Schools should develop standards for student learning in physical education that reflect national and state standards and should require that physical education be taught by certified/licensed physical education teachers.

School policies and programs, including physical education, are generally decided and funded at the state and local level.  However, the federal government has both direct and indirect effects on what is offered via funding opportunities and Department of Education regulations. The AHA advocates for increased funding for programs that encourage physical education such as The Carol M. White Physical Education for Progress (PEP) grant program and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Adolescent and School Health Coordinated School Health grants.  It also advocates for improvements in legislation that can influence access to quality physical education such as changes to the No Child Left Behind Act when it is reauthorized in 2007.

• Policy Position Statement on Physical Education in Schools  
• Physical Education in Schools Fact Sheet
• Childhood Obesity Fact Sheet
• Physical Education Federal Policy  
• 2006 Shape of the Nation Report  
• News (Releases / Statements / Correspondence / Updates)  

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