Fitness Guidelines Doubled for Kids

by Mel Meléndez
The Arizona Republic

Five years after a groundbreaking study warning of a growing childhood obesity trend, the group that said kids should get 30 minutes of daily physical activity has now doubled its recommendation. The National Association for Sports and Physical Education issued new children's fitness guidelines Tuesday, including boosting children's daily physical activity to one hour. The recommendation doubles the group's original 30-minute guideline, which health advocates say has proven ineffective in the battle against the bulge among youngsters 5 to 12.

"Like adults that don't complete the 30 minutes of daily exercise recommended for them, kids aren't getting their time in either," said Chuck Corbin, professor of exercise and wellness at Arizona State University East in Mesa. "We really need to turn this around or we'll end up with a nation of overweight adults battling all sorts of health issues."

According to the most recent report by the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, 13 percent of children 6 to 11 and 14 percent of adolescents 12 to 19 in the United States are overweight. [In San Francisco it is 6%. 38% of our adolescents are not getting adequate exercise while 13% report getting no exercise at all!]

Corbin and Bob Pangrazi, a professor of kinesiology at Arizona State University in Tempe, came up with the one-hour guideline after reviewing numerous surveys and studies on children's health, physical activities for youths, and the factors that reduce childhood illnesses and injuries. They also recommend that children complete the hour of age-appropriate exercises in 15-minute increments throughout the day.

"They can do more, but not more than two hours at a time because kids have shorter attention spans and will get bored," Corbin said. "They respond better to intermittent exercising." Pangrazi and Corbin hope parents will endorse the one-hour exercise minimum. But they also want parents to advocate at their schools for before-school exercising, more recess, daily physical education classes and an activity break after lunch, Corbin said.

Arizona's limited education funding and the push to boost students' standardized test scores have resulted in schools slashing physical education curriculums in favor of academic enrichment programs, Corbin said. Phoenix parent Janeen Nichols said she could attest to that. Her youngest son, Thomas, 8, has one 30-minute weekly P.E. class, which she said "just isn't enough."

"As a parent I have to make sure my kids don't sit in front of the TV or computer for hours on end," said Nichols, who had just returned from bowling with her two sons. "We go bike riding, swimming, hiking . . . stuff that gets them outside." She said it's not easy working in the activities, "but you really have to make that effort or it just doesn't happen."

Safety concerns and Arizona's sweltering summers exacerbate the problem, Corbin said. "Everyone wants to stay where it's air-conditioned," he said, "but you can work around that with swimming and indoor games, like jumping jacks." Especially critical is the period between 3 and 6 p.m., when kids are typically sedentary in front of the TV or computer or tackling their homework, he added.

Inactive kids lead to sedentary adults and adult obesity, which leads to skyrocketing insurance and health costs for everyone, Corbin said. "But a couple of hours of exercising for kids can change that because they adopt those healthy life lessons, and typically stick with them," he said.

ACLU Spring 2004 Conference: Youth Rights!

Wednesday, March 10 at UC Berkeley (9:00am -2:30pm)

A fun-filled, information-packed conference by and for high school students on civil liberties and civil rights issues. Workshops featured:

Your Rights at School
Race & Ethnic Relations at School
Sexism
Education not Incarceration
The Prison-Industrial Complex
Sweatshops in the Bay Area
Ageism against Youth
Your Rights with the Police
Free Speech & Censorship
Environmental Racism
Queer Rights
Immigrants' Rights
Anti-racism
Youth Employment Rights & Skills
First Amendment Rights of Teachers (for teachers)

We expect great interest, so please call (415.621.2493 ext. 337) or email (echang@aclunc.org) ASAP to register with your name, school, phone number, email address, school address, and number of students. You will receive more details following registration.

The Truth About Inhalants

Inhalants affect your brain. Inhalants are substances or fumes from products such as glue or paint thinner that are sniffed or "huffed" to cause an immediate high. Because they affect your brain with much greater speed and force than many other substances, they can cause irreversible physical and mental damage before you know what's happened.

Inhalants affect your heart. Inhalants starve the body of oxygen and force the heart to beat irregularly and more rapidly--that can be dangerous for your body.

Inhalants damage other parts of your body. People who use inhalants can lose their sense of smell; experience nausea and nosebleeds; and develop liver, lung, and kidney problems. Chronic use can lead to muscle wasting and reduced muscle tone and strength.

Inhalants can cause sudden death. Inhalants can kill you instantly. Inhalant users can die by suffocation, choking on their vomit, or having a heart attack.

Get the facts. Inhalants can kill you the very first time you use them.

Stay informed. Inhalants include a large group of chemicals that are found in such household products as aerosol sprays, cleaning fluids, glue, paint, paint thinner, gasoline, propane, nail polish remover, correction fluid, and marker pens. None of these are safe to inhale-they all can kill you.

Be aware. Chemicals like amyl nitrate and isobutyl nitrate ("poppers"), and nitrous oxide ("whippets") are often sold at concerts and dance clubs. They can permanently damage your body and brain.

Know the risks. Chronic inhalant abusers may permanently lose the ability to perform everyday functions like walking, talking, and thinking.

Look around you. The vast majority of teens aren't using inhalants. According to a 1998 study, only 1.1 percent of teens are regular inhalant users and 94 percent of teens have never even tried inhalants.

How can you tell if a friend is using inhalants? Sometimes it's tough to tell. But there are signs you can look for. If your friend has one or more of the following warning signs, he or she may be using inhalants:

Slurred speech
Drunk, dizzy, or dazed appearance
Unusual breath odor
Chemical smell on clothing
Paint stains on body or face
Red eyes
Runny nose

Q. Since inhalants are found in household products, aren't they safe?
A. No. Even though household products like glue and air freshener have legal, useful purposes, when they are used as inhalants they are harmful and dangerous. These products are not intended to be inhaled.

Q. Doesn't it take many "huffs" before you're in danger?
A. No. One "huff" of an inhalant can kill you. Or the 10th. Or the 100th. Every huff can be dangerous. Even if you have huffed before without experiencing a problem, there's no way of knowing how the next huff will affect you.

Q. Can inhalants make me lose control?
A. Yes. Inhalants affect your brain and can cause you to suddenly engage in violent, or even deadly, behavior. You could hurt yourself or the people you love.

What can you do to help someone who is using inhalants? Be a real friend. Save a life. Encourage your friend to seek professional help. For information and referrals, call the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 800-729-6686.

Wellness Center

Christy Parsons (Wellness Coordinator) is available daily.

Ian Enriquez (Community Health Outreach Worker, Youth Outreach Coordinator) is available daily.

Monica Murphy (Nurse, Tobacco Intervention Coordinator) is available from Monday - Wednesday and Friday.

Sharon Wong (psychologist) is available Tuesday and Thursday.

Sheening Lin (psychologist) is available Monday and Wednesday.

Chris Pepper (peer resources) is available daily and teaches classes during 4th and 5th period.

Marie Chen (drug counselor) is available on Tuesday and Thursday.

Susie Li (Mandarin speaking counselor) is available on Wednesday and Friday.

Laura McGourty (counselor) is available on Monday and Tuesday.

Beth Ringheim (counselor) is available on Mondays.

Talia Korenbrot (relationship counselor) is available on Thursday.

James Guay (lgbt counselor) is available on Wednesday.

Reconnecting Youth classes held 5th and 7th period.

Statistics

The Wellness Centers have been taking surveys in the freshmen health classes to looks at how students perceive what is happening among their peers and comparing it to what is really going on.

For example, students believed that 62% of their peers have experienced serious depression in the past year when in actuality only San Francisco teen surveys report 28%.

Students believe 69% of their peers have ever tried smoking, when it is only at 44%.

Students also believe that about 45% are sexually active, while surveys indicate it is at 25%.

These are all average answers from student responses so many students reported figures as high as 80% for depression, 96% for smoking, and 90% for sexual activity. It has been an excellent opportunity for us to come in and discuss the perceptions students have of their own community over the reality of what is going on. Not everybody is doing it (whatever it may be).

On-line Resources

Youth Employment

Volunteer Center

Youth Health

Mental Health

Local Therapist Finder

Health news provided by KidsHealth.
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