History of Recess

                      Rates of obesity in the United States are among the highest in the world, with about 2/3 of Americans who are considered overweight. Out of those who are considered to be overweight, about 1/3 are actually obese, meaning their body mass index (BMI) is greater than 30. These numbers are very surprising, as these statistics were much smaller just 15 years ago. In 1997, 19.4% of Americans were considered obese, and in 2007 the number rose to 26.6%.  It is sad, but not surprising, that these numbers are only going to continue to keep rising in the future.  Another very important trend is the growing number of obese children in our country, as obesity used to be mainly seen in adults. Nowadays, around 10% of children worldwide are either overweight or obese. This number seems small compared to the number of children who are either obese or overweight in the United States, which has reached about 30%. This means that about 3 out of 10 children in the United States are overweight; however there is no single factor that causes this.

                To further understand this condition, the history of obesity must be looked into. Ancient Egyptians considered obesity to be a disease, and depicted drawings of the illness on pyramid walls. Similarly, China has always believed obesity was a bad thing and sought prevention as a key to longevity. These beliefs are along the same lines in that these cultures believed obesity had a negative impact on the body. However, in the poor regions of Africa, tribes purposely plump up brides in order to prepare them for childbirth and weddings. In these regions it is seen as a sign of wealth and social status. Similarly, in times of famine worldwide and throughout history, being obese was considered a sign of wealth and class. Being obese in these times meant that you were rich enough and powerful enough to have access to food commodities when no one else did. Nowadays in the United States, obesity is seen as a health risk and often looked down upon. Sadly, there is a lot of obesity discrimination in our country, and it is important to learn what this medical condition stems from.   

                Obesity is caused by a number of factors, such as genetics, culture, inactivity, and high-calorie diets. Having a family member who is obese increases a child’s chance of becoming overweight by a sizeable 25-30%. This predisposition causes your genes to be more susceptible to gain weight; however, this does not destine a child to become overweight. Culture is also a large factor that contributes to childhood obesity. Children eat what their parents give them, and nowadays many of American’s cultures revolve around fast food. The fast food trend is very common in our country, and one meal at a fast food restaurant can often account for over half of a day’s caloric intake, which most children may not even realize. Inactivity is a huge factor in the promotion of childhood obesity. Recently, many schools have cut physical education and recess time in order to keep up with standardized testing pressures. Physical activity has also been reduced at home as a result of labor-saving devices and new technologies, such as videogames, cars, and the internet. We abuse these tools and do not get the amount of work and play related exercise we should be getting. There are more indoor activities for children now more than ever, which greatly contributes to the problem of childhood obesity as well as the high-calorie and high-fat diets they are eating.

                Having good physical fitness is a combination of both a good diet and exercise. Children today are not getting a sufficient amount of either, as fast food and video games have become our culture. Indoor and sedentary activities should be limited if possible to encourage outdoor and active play. During the school day, healthy lunches should be available as well as a scheduled time for play each day. Recently, Michelle Obama implemented the “Let’s Move” campaign to help fight childhood obesity. Her plan is to educate parents about nutrition and promote healthier options in schools cafeterias. I think this plan is a good idea, but it is lacking in the idea that it is not promoting more physical activity for students. To try to reduce the growing number of obese children, parents and schools need to provide healthy meals for them and bring more physical activity into the children’s daily routine.

Obesity Study

                 Obesity trends in young children are on the rise, which has formed an inverse relationship with the amount of recess children now receive in grade school.  Recess has existed in the elementary school curriculum for over 100 years, and in the 1950’s children often had up to 3 recess breaks a day. This is not a common occurrence anymore, as many schools nationwide have started to abolish recess altogether. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) published a study in 2009 which found that nationwide, 67% of schools offered recess to all students for at least twenty minutes a day. This means that about one-third of schools offered recess to only some students, or did not offer recess at all. The CDC concludes that the reason for the cut back of recess is largely due to pressures revolving around improving test scores. Schools are so concerned about these test scores, that they are neglecting the growing problem of childhood obesity.               

                This epidemic is due in part by the lack of exercise in children, and this is not only a problem in our country. In 2008, a study conducted by the Journal of Research in Childhood Education concluded that children expend more energy during one recess period than a P.E. class. The study investigated the physical activity levels of 6-8 year old boys and girls from Poland over a 7-day period, using a Caltrac accelerometer to keep a detailed activity log. The Caltrac accelerometer measured how many calories were expended over this 7-day period of time, which was recorded both on the weekdays and weekends. The study found that overall, both kindergarten and first grade boys expended more energy than the girls in either grade. It was also concluded that both boys and girls of all ages expended more energy on school days rather on the weekend, which stresses the importance of physical activity during the school week. On average, the children expended 194.84 kcals each day during their recess period and expended only 144.74 kcals during their scheduled P.E. class. This statistic stresses the importance of recess during the school day, as it offers more benefits in terms of energy expenditure than physical education classes in this case. Recess is very important in keeping children moving during the school week, as less energy expenditure was recorded on the weekends.

                Another study that looked at the effects of physical activity in terms of obesity compared energy expenditure during the academic year and the summer months. The Journal of Child Health Care study followed 178 elementary schoolchildren in Greece and compared their physical activity levels during the school year and the summer months using anthropometry and physical fitness assessments. This study found that children advanced significantly in their physical fitness during the school year, while little to no achievement was made over the summer months. The results also found that children who were involved in organized physical activity demonstrated a lower prevalence for being overweight or obese as well as superior physical fitness performance, which was significant at an alpha level (p<.05). The study reported that not being involved in organized physical activity was a major contributing factor which was linked to obesity, which was significant at the alpha level (p<.05). This study concluded that organized physical activity during the school year is beneficial in fighting the obesity epidemic. 

                Some schools in the Boston-area are trying to boost physical activity by organizing activities during recess time, the Boston Globe reports. The Conservatory Lab Charter School in Brighton has hired a coach to organize activities and games during recess time such as tag, kickball and capture the flag. This coach also works with the children during their regularly scheduled P.E. class and after-school programs to monitor and increase the amount of physical activity the children are receiving. Schools in Worcester have enlisted college athletes to lead recess activities and promote good physical fitness. These schools are trying to increase physical activity in order to battle childhood obesity when many other schools are trying to reduce it.

The High Cost of Cheap Food

I think it would be very interesting to explore the longterm costs of our cheap food supply. Our food is cheap, but other costs which we may initially not realize have risen. Cultural, economical, nutritional, psychological, social, political and ecological effects have resulted as a result of the industrialization of our food supply.

Technology and corporations have taken over small family farms and now produce most of our food supply. This is done on a large-scale system, and all of the food is produced efficiently, which makes food cheaper for consumers. The rise of big businesses has forced farmers off of their land because they simply cannot keep up with the cheap prices being offered elsewhere.

Food has become much more dangerous since the industrialization of our food production. Many recalls have been made, which pull contaminated food off of shelves. Contamination in our food supply has killed and sickened many, and leave many worrying about the safety of the food we consume. These recalls have many economic costs, as regulations around food safety are not as rigid as they should be. Contamination also commonly occurs at fast food restaurants, which seems to have become a staple of the American diet.

Healthcare costs have also been on the rise due to the change in food production. Pesticide use causes illness and birth defects that could easily be prevented. Our fruits and vegetables are subjected to pesticides, while our meat is injected with GMO’s. Injecting animals with antibiotics causes diseases to become resistant to drugs. The way animals are treated and stacked upon one another in factories is also very upsetting to me. I know they are being killed for consumption, but I do not think this should be the way they are spending the last minutes of their life. How they are kept is a breeding ground for bacteria, which is making us sick as a result.

I think cultural effects are very important in considering the longterm costs. Family dinners are still very important to me, although they have become less common with our hectic lifestyle. Family dinners are a time to share values and beliefs and talk about what is going on in each others lives. It is a time for home-cooked meals which helps connect me to my culture. Unfortunately, fast food has become a lifestyle in our country now, which eliminates the idea of a family dinner.

Many people eat dinner alone nowadays, which can cause psychological effects such as depression. Depression is also common in small family farm owners, as a result of running out of business. Many of these farmers commit suicide as a result of failing to make ends meet, because they see what has happened as their fault.

Ecological effects such as pollution from big factories are common. Our natural resources are being depleted, some of which of non-renewable. It is sad that people are so wasteful when it comes to discarding food, though I have to admit that I am guilty of this as well. I see this problem a lot in the dining halls at school. I notice how much food people heap on their plates, which is ultimately returned to the dishwasher with a reasonable amount of uneaten food on the trays.

I had to post this video because I was completely embarrassed and disgusted by how little American children know about REAL food. I think I now want to focus more on the effects of the changes of the American food supply, especially those on children.

As fast food is becoming more popular, so is obesity, which is raising our healthcare costs. Many risks coming with being obese, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and cardiovascular problems. Our nutritional/medical costs are on the rise because we depend too heavily on fast food, which is clearly unhealthy. Along with the loss of family farms and the now popular demand for fast food, our country has been eating unhealthier than ever before. Also, many Americans may not be aware that up to 85% of our food contains GMO’s. Injecting animals with antibiotics should be outlawed because it causes diseases to become resistant due to the drugs. The way animals are kept allows diseases to be spread more easily, which hurts the factories and companies in the long run. The industrialization of food is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, which is ultimately getting us sick. As also previously mentioned, pesticide use in the fields causes many nutritional/health problems. Pesticide use causes birth defects and also causes workers to get sick, illnesses that could be easily prevented. It is a sad reality that pesticides are so common because they are responsible for making many people sick, especially when workers are not outfitted with the proper gear to wear in the fields.

Many family farms have been eliminated because they cannot compete with big business corporations. Many cultural effects, such as the loss of these family farms, have been occurring, though many people do not realize through these effects we are losing our culture. Due to the boom of fast food chains, families are missing out on communication during a time that was once reserved for a sit down family meal. I value the time I spend eating with my family because I believe that during this time I am able to learn my family’s values and beliefs. It is sad to hear that some families do not even eat together once a week, because sit down family meals used to be so cherished in our culture. Fast food has become our culture, and though many Americans may refuse to believe this, it is true. Eating outside the home has also become more popular ever since the Industrial Revolution, when women began working instead of spending time home and cooking. The nutritious meals families used to come home to have became less common as the roles of women have changed. Americans today rely on convenience more than what is considered nutritious.

Smoking vs. Obesity in Children

Children suffer from different effects from smoking than adults do, and often cannot protect themselves from secondhand smoke. Because children’s lungs are still developing, their breathing rate is increased, inhaling about three times the rate of adults. Secondhand smoke has also been attributed to 31,000 cases of asthma and 430 cases of sudden infant death syndrome, which is also known as SIDS, each year in the United States. Smoking levels have also been tested in cars, and within a minute there were more than enough particles in the back seat for it to be considered hazardous by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The air quality continues to diminish, and can reach about ten times the level that is considered hazardous by the EPA. These levels of particles increased over time, which shows just how unsafe these levels can be in an enclosed environment with these dangerous carcinogens present. 

Smoking is not the only thing adults expose a child to that does harm to their fragile bodies. Many adults repeatedly expose children to fast food, which is extremely bad for their health when eaten frequently. Gary Nolan, spokesman for The Smoker’s Club, Inc. believes that fighting this new ban on smoking will help Americans gain more control over our lives. Nolan states, “If we don’t reverse this, they’ll be telling us what we can eat and what we can feed our children.” Eating too much fast food is another concern when raising children today, and can be compared to the effects of secondhand smoke.

On a typical day, 30% of children consume fast food. If eaten regularly, fast food causes a child to gain an extra six pounds per year. Continuing this pattern will cause that child to become obese. Obesity is also known to cause coronary heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Even though fast food is harmful for the body, many parents still continue to feed it to their children it every day. If this is the only meal that is being offered to the child, that child has no choice but to eat this fatty meal; the only other alternative being to go without food. Fast food, however, is not and will never be made illegal for children to eat. Why should smoking around children be made illegal if making a child eat fast food is not? Both examples are proven to have similar effects on children. Though there are some differences, both are known to cause cancer and heart disease. If something with such similar effects is not made illegal, how can the state pick one over the other to be banned?

Is It Just Baby Fat?

I never saw baby fat as a predictor of longterm obesity… until now. Chubby babies are always cute, but now evidence suggests that interventions in schools may be too late to reverse obesity. Prevention efforts can start as early as when the baby is in the womb, and are also effective in infancy and toddler years. Babies whose mother’s smoke during pregnancy are at a higher risk, as well as babies who sleep less than 12 hours a day. To reduce the risk of having an obese child, mothers are urged to lose weight before pregnancy and to also breastfeed their newborn. Evidence suggests that obesity trends are hard to change once the child enters kindergarten.

It seems that providing healthier foods in schools and increasing opportunities for exercise in schools is not enough to stop this problem, although it surely must help. However, it does not seem like a lot of schools are increasing opportunities for exercise, since many of them have been abolishing recess from the school day. When small children are overweight, they are often not given diet restrictions or labeled as obese. But the fact is that babies and toddlers are also getting fatter and intervention methods need to start earlier. Intervention methods often start once the child is in school because it is efficient and convenient, but it is clear now that even this is too late. A new way to reach babies and toddlers needs to emerge so we can try to stop the obesity epidemic at its roots.

More can be read at: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/23/health/23obese.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Recess and The Outliers

Recess has existed as part of elementary school curriculum for over 100 years, and in the 1950’s children often had three recess breaks in a normal school day. It served as a time where students could release energy, interact with their classmates and build their imagination. However, nowadays children are lucky to get even one recess break during the school day. Even this small break is in jeopardy, as a number of schools either have abolished or are considering abolishing recess altogether.

After reading the book Outliers: A Story of Success, I was able to look at the abolition of recess in a new way. The book follows men and women who do things out of the ordinary, due to circumstances and advantages. The part I found most interesting was the author’s explanation of why most professional hockey players in Canada were born in the months of January, February and March. The author, Malcomb Gladwell, explains that the cutoff dates for Canadian hockey teams is January 1st. This means that the players born in the first few months of the year are the oldest and most mature. The older children are seen at a young age as stronger than the rest of the players, and are therefore recruited to better teams. This means they get advantages such as better coaches and more practice time. These advantages continue to build up, and this phenomenon is known as accumulative effect. This chapter is appropriately entitled “The Matthew Effect” which is named after a verse of the Bible. This verse states “For unto everyone that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance. But from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.”

I began to think of the abolition of recess in terms of this idea of accumulative effect. I believe that taking away recess removes time where children can improve both their physical and emotional-mental health. It is also a time where students can work on their social skills, and use their imagination playing games that often use skills that are learned in the classroom. I believe taking away recess will cause an accumulative effect in a negative way. Students who do not have recess can be compared to the hockey players that were born in the second half of the calendar year. They are not looked at in the same way as the older players are, and are therefore left behind while the more mature players reap all of the benefits. These head starts are neither earned or deserved. The students who do not have the benefit of recess have different circumstances and miss advantages that other students may receive.

I found it hard to believe that school’s were abolishing recess, especially in a time when the rate of childhood obesity has been growing rapidly. In response to the growing number of overweight students, Lincoln University in Pennsylvania disallowed obese students to graduate, unless they took a one-credit “Fitness for Life” class. I do not understand how schools can take away student’s time for exercise and expect them not to become overweight. I think these schools are setting the children up for failure, and are in turn causing an accumulative effect on the students.

27% of Daily Calories in Children Come From Junk Food

In the journal of Health Affairs a new study was released claiming that children get 27% of their daily calories from junk food. Kids usually snack on sugary and salty treats about three times a day, on top of three regular meals. Snacking is not the problem, it is what food they are actually eating that is the problem. The foods they are eating are not substantial and instead are “empty calories,” or foods with no nutritional value.

Lack of exercise in children and this unhealthy snacking is what is causing the children of this generation to become obese. If kids are taught what appropriate snacks are at a young age (fruits, carrots, crackers, etc.) less problems will likely arise as they get older. I found this statistic scary and I hope this gives parents a reality check. Be a good example for your children so we can cut down on childhood obesity, diabetes and asthma.

More can be read about this statistic at http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2010/03/kids_get_27_percent_of_their_calories_from_junk_food.html

Wanted: Volunteers, All Pregnant

A study began last January that is planning to enroll 100,000 pregnant women in 105 countries so that their babies can be monitored until they turn 21. This government study of children’s health was authorized by congress in 2000, which had an initial price tag of about 3.1 billion. However, now the estimate has more than doubled to about 6.7 billion, which is causing much controversy. Several hundred women and children are already participating in the National Children’s Study in hopes of helping the next generation.

This is going to be the largest and most comprehensive long-term study of the health of children, which begins before the child is even born. This study is hoping to figure out how the environment and gene’s affect children’s health, along with other factors. They are trying to figure out how factors you are exposed to as a child will affect you later in adulthood. The study is collecting incredible amounts of specimens from both the babies and parents. It starts with collecting blood, hair and saliva, then goes as far as collecting particles from the carpets and baseboards. The mother’s placenta and even the babies first feces are all sent to the laboratory for further examination. Invasive? Some people think so, as it has been much harder than predicted to get people involved in this study. Names and numbers of many friends and families are also collected so that if you move away the researcher’s will still be able to find you.

Scientists are hoping to find similar genetic patterns that will help them understand different diseases and deficiencies. Widespread conditions, like diabetes will be looked at, as well as more regional diseases. Scientists are hoping to cure asthma, find answers to autism and prevent birth defects. Pollution and harmful chemicals effects will also be looked at in different areas to see if the same outcome is caused. At this point, study officials are still unsure how much information they should expose to the participants, because some think that results may cause anxiety, while others think more information should be given out to the community and the families.

More can be read about this study at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/16/health/16child.html?pagewanted=1&ref=research

This video talks more about the National Children’s Study and how representative it is of the population. Cities were selected using scientific sampling methods so opposite ends of the spectrum could be studied, which will help highlight differences that may be due to environment or regional diseases. Children are our future and this study is about investing in them, so that they can be provided with the best possible start in life with the best possible knowledge.

I am very excited this study is being done now, although I wish it could have been started a little earlier. The study only started last January, so there will be 20 more years of data and research to come. Health in our children seems to be declining more recently and it would be amazing if this study allowed scientists to prevent birth defects or find answers to autism. These people who are participating in the study should be acknowledged and shown gratitude, as they truly are helping out the next generation. Even I would be hesitant to participate in this study because 21 years is a very long time to be getting giving samples and specimens for.

So many diseases are becoming too common in our children today, such as diabetes and asthma. I hope researching these children for 21 years brings about some answers because children are just getting less healthy by the years. We are spending more money for healthcare than ever before because our country seems to be more interested in treatment than prevention and education. I am confident that this study will have some interesting findings and hopefully will be able to make the next generation of children happier and healthier!

Bring Back Recess!

At my Catholic grade school, gym class was only held once a week and did not seem to serve much of a purpose, unlike recess. Recess was a time that was spent playing games with friends that also allowed us to interact with other students that were not in our class. As soon as lunch ended, we would race outside to the playground and quickly set up a game of tag or pick teams for kickball. It allowed us to take our minds off of school work and get in some much-needed exercise, as we were to be confined to our classrooms for the remainder of the school day. At the time, I took recess for granted, a given twenty-five minute period that would follow lunch everyday. I did not cross my mind that all schools did not have recess, and I now realize that I was one of the lucky ones who had it right up until high school. In some schools recess stops at junior high, and nowadays it seems more common that students do not have recess at all. I valued recess, and  now schools need to be convinced that positive outcomes do come from those twenty-five minutes,  in hopes of bringing recess back into school’s curriculum.

Recess is no longer just a time for physical activity, as recent research has proven that having recess actually improves children’s behavior in school. Albert Einstein College of Medicine conducted a study where behavior was rated by teachers whose students either had or did not have daily recess. The study showed that students who had daily recess scored better when their behavior was rated. Recess proved to influence behavior, as well as concentration and even grades. So, why take it away? Some schools believe recess period would be better spent on academics. However, recess has been proved to improve concentration in classes and although students may not realize it, they often are incorporating things they have learned in schools into their games.

Dr. Barros, a pediatrician and assistant teach at Albert Einstein, believes that recess is essential part of a child’s learning experience. Dr. Barros believes that at recess students, “use all the things they learned in the classroom. When they are doing hopscotch they use math skills. Kids learn a lot about social skills during recess, such as playing, sharing, being the leader, following somebody. It’s all very important.’’

Today, many cities are building new schools that do not even have playgrounds so that recess can be eliminated. Another study that was mentioned in this article conducted by the journal of Pediatrics found this to be true. The study found that 30% of schools that they surveyed had little to no recess at all. I found it very sad that schools are now being built without any playgrounds, which also seems to discourage afterschool play. I believe recess is necessary for children to contribute to their overall wellness, as breaks at the office do for adults. Wellness is made up of many components, such as social, emotional-mental and physical health. Recess is a time where physical health is comes into play, because much of the interactions revolve around sports and games. It is also a social time where students can enjoy the company of others and relieve stress, thus improving their emotion-mental health. Sitting in class offers few benefits in these areas, as interaction between students and time to talk are rare. Recess is necessary for students to attain all of the other benefits that are available to them inside the classroom. “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” is a phrase that explains the relationship between recess and schoolwork. One cannot exist without the other, as imagination is needed to learn.

More can be read about the behavioral benefits that come from having recess at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/health/24well.html?_r=1

KXLY4 HD NEWS: Parents Want Longer Recess Breaks for Students

In this video, parents argue for more than one break a day for their kids. One parent brought up the fact that adults get more breaks during the workday than children do in school, which I found to be a very interesting point. Studies show that the longer kids sit without a break, the less attentive they are. I also found the teacher’s statement in this video interesting, as I never thought of this issue from their point of view. It is true that teachers are expected to pack a lot of learning into the school day, as national testing and the cirriculum forces teachers to keep up with material. Is there a compromise? The report also mentioned that more modern classes are more interactive for the students, but I do not think this is true across the boards. If at least one recess break were granted in all schools as well as highly interactive learning I think this would improve children’s attention spans and increase their learning ability. I am completely against recess being taken away completely, as I do not see any benefits to this.