If Schools Would Teach Health ...

If schools would only teach health, think what this could mean for our nation. Today’s children, teens, and 20-somethings do not understand basic nutrition. They cannot identify many vegetables, don’t understand the true value of proteins and carbs, and are paying the price for it. In fact, we all are. Americans are simply not getting proper education about nutrition and it is killing us. Worse, it is generational. Young parents are unable to pass along proper nutritional and fitness habits to their children.

Across the nation, we are seeing 40, 50, and 60-year olds (all of whom grew up with physical education) out-performing, out-lifting, out-running, out-squatting the typical 22-year old. Why? What is happening to our youth?

Not Enough Education in Education

 In the interest of saving money, schools have been cutting physical education programs for years while childhood obesity continues to grow in this country. The argument has been that children can exercise at home but they are not. Children and parents are more sedentary than ever. By cutting these health programs, we have created nutritional and physical deficits that have steep medical costs to this nation.

Not Enough Sleep

 Our young people are always “plugged in.” They fall asleep with and wake up to their iPhones and pads and are not getting proper rest. Real downtime is unplugged time. Children under the age of 10 should get 10-11 hours of sleep, while teens and young adults are recommended to get almost as much. Without enough sleep, long term issues can develop, from poor health, weakened muscles, to depression and anxiety.

Energy Drinks and Poor Eating Habits

 The highly popular are greatly misunderstood. In fact, these energy drinks can be very harmful to young people, particularly those in puberty. Because so many parents do not understand the ill effects of these drinks on the human body and developing brain, they are willingly providing dangerous habits for their children. Teens and young adults abuse caffeine use, causing ER visits to more than double from overuse.

In a recent NBC online poll, 94% said they want to bring physical education back to the educational system. Bringing back physical education as a mandatory course will improve grades, sleep, nutritional education, as well as overall health and happiness. Bringing back physical education to our young people can help prevent diabetes, obesity, poor muscle development, and other childhood obesity related illnesses, but also teach our young how to be strong, be confident, how to win and lose, and be better teammates in life.

For the health and well-being of our future generations, for our dignity, our strength, and our successes, BRING FITNESS BACK TO OUR YOUTH!