Please give health and physical education back to our kids! Health and physical education are vital to the learning, quality of life, health, and well being of our kids. Minnesota loves to think of itself as a state focused on fitness. But behind the vivid images of robust runners and walks around the lakes is the troubling reality of a generation of young people that is, in large measure, inactive, unfit, and increasingly overweight. Kids do not get the physical activity they need when they are not in school. 61.5% of children aged 9-13 years do not participate in any organized physical activity during their non-school hours and 22.6% do not engage in any free-time physical activity.

At the same time, families across Minnesota suffer from a health crisis costing billions of dollars annually. Every segment of society is affected. Government strains to bear the burden. The causes of this crisis are familiar–slow, silent killers, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. These chronic diseases are among the most prevalent, costly, and preventable of all health problems. The seeds of these chronic diseases are sown through unhealthy behavior initiated during childhood and youth—42-62% of obese school children will become obese adults. Sedentary lifestyles today result in $100 billion in costs and 300,000 deaths annually. These costs will only grow. While these problems require attention from all of society, schools play an important role in childhood health.

Our schools offer an extraordinary opportunity to guide and shape healthy physical activity habits. Health and physical education promote lifelong activity, thereby preventing the development of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Of course, the primary role of schools is to foster academic achievement. Although there is a perception that the time spent in physical education may harm academic performance, the evidence indications that there is no evidence of this harm. In fact, multiple studies show that academic success is associated with physical activity or fitness.

Obesity rates in children and adolescents are rising
Nationally, the prevalence of obesity among adolescents aged 12-19 years has increased from 5% in 1976-80 to 15.5% in 1999-2000.

Health, United States, 2002, Overweight children and adolescents 6-19 years of age, according to sex, age, race, and Hispanic origin: United States, selected years 1963-65 through 1999-2000.

Physical activity levels have decreased
We have also seen a marked drop in the percent of students in secondary school who participated in physical activity between 1991 and 1999 from 42% to 29%, respectively.

Lowry R, Wechsler H, Kann L, Collins JL. Recent trends in participation in physical education among US high school students. J Sch Health 2001;71:145-152.

Adverse affects of obesity
Obesity may result in several chronic disease implications including high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes.

Overweight and obese children, adolescents, and adults also suffer negative social consequences such as decreased self-esteem and increased social isolation, discrimination and depression.

Ogden C, Flegal K, Carroll M, Johnson C. “Prevalence and Trends in Overweight Among U.S. Children and Adolescents, 1999-2000.” Journal of the American Medical Association. 2002, Vol. 288, No. 14, pp. 1728-1732.

An increasing body of research has shown a positive relationship between academic achievement and physical fitness. Studies have also found a correlation between low physical activity levels in youth and other risky behaviors such as smoking cigarettes, using marijuana, and not wearing seat belts.
Pate RR, Heath GW, Dowda M, Trost SG. Associations between physical activity and other health behaviors in a representative sample of U.S. adolescents. American Journal of Public Health. 1996; 86(11): 1577-1581. – Hnpn Cty Fact Sheet

Economic Impact of obesity
Hospital costs for treating obesity-related disease in children rose in the past two decades from $35 million to $127 million.

Wang G, Dietz W. “Economic Burden of Obesity in Youths Aged 6 to 17 Years: 1979-1999.” Pediatrics. 2002, Vol. 109, pp. e81


The cost of physical inactivy in Minneosta
An estimated $495 million were spent during 2000 treating diseases and conditions that would be avoided if all Minnesotans were physically active.
5.$383 million for hospital, outpatient, and professional expenses
6.$112 million for outpatient prescription drugs.
7.This amount represents over 100 dollars annually for every man, woman, and child living in Minnesota.
Minnesota Department of Health, “Health Care Costs of Physical Inactivity in Minnesota,” May 15, 2003.

Minnesota has mandated PE since 1923
Healthy People 2010 has an objective to “increase the proportion of the Nation's public and private schools that require daily physical education for all students.”

US Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010. 2nd ed. 2 vols. Washington DC: US Department of Health and Human Services, November 2000.

Schools are a captive audience
There is direct access to 1,000,000 students enrolled in Minnesota schools.

Adolescents who are physically healthy and properly nourished are more likely to be academically motivated, alert, and successful.

Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Nutrition Policy Project. School Foods Tool Kit: A Guide to Improving School Foods and Beverages. September 2003.