With less than one quarter of children aged 6-17 meeting the hour-long recommendation of daily activity, and the body mass index (BMI) nearly doubling in children ages 2-19 since the COVID-19 pandemic, there is reason for concern that school-aged kids are not getting a healthy amount of exercise.
While after-school sports are an obvious option for kids to get active, there are many reasons why joining the football or track programs might not be an option. Some kids have health-related activity restrictions, or their schools might not offer the sports they enjoy.
Experts emphasize the benefits of schools implementing moments of exercise throughout the day for their students – especially for those without after-school sports on their schedules. Breaking up a lesson plan with a few minutes of jogging around the school and classroom aerobics next to their desks are among the options schools have for making the physical and mental health of students a priority.
Ohio takes action
Following changes to the Ohio Revised Code, school districts across the state can now elect to participate in the Physical Activity Pilot Program, a school-wide commitment in line with national efforts to help promote healthy bodies and minds from a young age. Its goal is to offer students of all interests, fitness levels and social skills an opportunity to get active and lead a healthy lifestyle, even if their schedules outside of school make it difficult to find time for exercise.
Photos courtesy of Kendall Calvin, Preschool Social Media Manager
student television show
Those districts that participate in the program are required to provide a minimum of 30 minutes per school day – or 150 minutes per week – of moderate to rigorous physical activity at the selected schools.
Though individual districts may form their own programs to meet these fitness requirements, the Ohio Department of Education offers suggestions including:
- Daily physical education classes
- Structured breaks for exercise during class time
- Zero-hour physical activity, an activity to get students’ blood pumping and minds ready to learn before their first period of the day
Schools that meet the requirements receive an acknowledgment on their annual report card from the state, recognizing their commitment to physical education and wellness.
Not just the youngsters
Structured exercise within the school system doesn’t just benefit the students playing tag at recess and drinking chocolate milk at lunch time. Fitness breaks can also have a profound impact on students at the collegiate level.
A 2018 study conducted at The Ohio State University put this concept to the test. The professor behind the study offered structured breaks of exercise every day during his psychology class.
The breaks were filled with groups performing five sets of 50-second exercises, followed by 10 seconds of rest, in the middle of the class and near the period’s end. Students could choose their 50 seconds of activity, some choosing jumping jacks and high knees, while others chose deep-breathing stretches and lunges.
The feedback from the students who participated in these regular exercise routines for the semester’s duration was primarily positive, with most students saying the exercise improved their class experience. Many students felt heightened motivation, strengthened focus and even better engagement with others in the class, per the study, as a result of increasing their heart rate and getting active – even if only for a few minutes.
Kyle Quinlan is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
