| Physical activity offers a broad range of benefits, | | | | eating choices can help lay the groundwork for |
| including the prevention of obesity, improved self | | | | improved food choices. Children who eat regular, |
| confidence, and an overall sense of well-being. | | | | healthy meals consisting of a wide range of food |
| Physical education programs within the school setting | | | | choices concentrate better in school and are less |
| can set the stage for how children view physical | | | | disruptive. Healthy eating also decreases the chances |
| fitness, activity levels, and future health. Physical | | | | of children developing serious health problems early in |
| education programs also include general health and | | | | life and reduces obesity rates among youth and into |
| safety information in addition to providing | | | | adulthood. |
| opportunities for students to learn how to cooperate | | | | Life Skills |
| with one another in a team setting. | | | | Physical education also provides an opportunity for |
| A Lifetime of Health | | | | children to develop critical life skills, such as problem |
| The school setting provides a structured atmosphere | | | | solving, strategy, and working together. Many team |
| in which to incorporate physical health activities and | | | | sports require participants to work together to |
| ideally develop healthy habits for life. Studies indicate | | | | achieve a goal. Children also learn the basics of good |
| that promotion of a healthy lifestyle taught in physical | | | | sportsmanship and that there is much more to sports |
| education classes can influence long-term health | | | | and physical activities than simply winning or losing. |
| benefits such as reduced rates of obesity, heart | | | | Sports require training, mental and physical |
| disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood | | | | preparation, and help build self-confidence. |
| pressure. | | | | Mental Health |
| Perhaps just as importantly, physical education | | | | Regular physical activity has shown to have many |
| programs can teach students that physical activity | | | | psychological and mental benefits in addition to the |
| can be fun. With a broad range of games and | | | | physical ones. For example, regular exercise can |
| activities, children are exposed to forms of exercise | | | | reduce feelings of depression and anxiety and |
| that don't simply involve running around a track. | | | | promote an overall sense of well-being. The increased |
| Games and other activities incorporate teamwork, | | | | blood flow during exercise transports oxygen to all |
| strategy, skill-building exercises, and fun. | | | | parts of the body, including the brain, which can help |
| Nutritional Information | | | | improve memory and reasoning skills. Conversely, a |
| Physical education classes are ideal for introducing | | | | lack of oxygen, which can result from not enough |
| basic nutritional concepts to children. Poor eating | | | | deep breathing, can lead to disorientation, confusion, |
| habits are common among many children and | | | | fatigue, and memory and concentration difficulties. |
| adolescents; however, a solid foundation in healthy | | | | |