Lauryn Kahle

Pd.1

Comp 1

March 17, 2017

Take away gym, No Way!

When you ask a kid what their favorite class in school is, what is the answer

you always get?1 Gym class, and who could blame them? It is the only class where

they dont have to sit in a desk and listen to a teacher lecture for 45 minutes. When

they finally get the chance to get up and move around they hop right on it, and

what a perfect way to keep them active and healthy. Today's generation of school

students are known to be fat -true enough. They are said to be lazy - true enough.

They are called unmotivated - true enough, 23 But what will taking gym away do to

improve this. Obesity in America isn't an unknown problem, it is a crisis that has

been struggled with for years. One in every three American children are overweight

or obese (Childhood). So, why do schools want to get rid of one of the simplest

solutions to this epidemic? Physical activity is one of the best things one can do for

their body and mind. Physical education should be a mandatory class throughout

ones educational career because it improves students physical and mental

wellness.

First and foremost, obesity is an occurring problem in America. Around 32% of

children aged 2-19 are considered overweight or obese (Childhood). The main

solution to obesity is exercise, doctors recommend at least 60 minutes of physical

activity a day. Gym classes allow students to get a good head start at this. Schools,

where children spend so many of their waking hours, provide the most logical and

logistically plausible place for them to exercise (Reynolds). Gym classes also
administer a test called presidential fitness. There are certain standards that

students should be able to meet. Students are tested in sit-ups, pull-ups, shuttle

run, sit and reach and a mile run. These test are a good gauge of one's overall

fitness because it covers several areas of strength. Including, core and upper body

strength, agility, flexibility and endurance. Not only does this motivate kids to work

to be able to achieve these goals but it also opens the eyes for the kids who can't

perform at a proficient level. Gym class is also a place where kids can find a love for

a sport or exercise in general. It also provides an environment for kids to compete in

sports and games that dont play a school sport. Physical education is an easy way

to get kids to be active so why take it away?

Along with the most evident benefit of a PE class, being the physical aspects,

is the mental side. Not only does being physically fit help ones overall brain function

it is known to promote school success. It is important to instill a regular routine of

healthy exercise to kids as young as possible to help them learn good habits.

However, such activity is a means of improving more than just the body through

building muscle strength and endurance. In fact, many studies are now showing

that children who are physically active also perform better in the classroom.

Children who are physically fit absorb and retain new information more effectively

than children who are out of shape (Reynolds). Several different studies have been

conducted to prove these allegations. A large scale study was conducted containing

over 12,000 participants. In this study they compared the level of fitness using the

presidential fitness test mentioned earlier to the

 students tests scores. All in all, a gym class in a students' schedule is an

overall beneficial way to aid in physical and mental strength.

There is a lot of controversy on if a PE class is beneficial to one's physical

health. There is evidence upon evidence on why it is. The main cause of childhood

obesity is inactivity. Even though this has been proven, politicians are still trying to

blame food advertising on the rise of obesity in America, but the sole problem is a

sedentary lifestyle. There is no solid evidence to connect food advertising to obesity

but, inactivity and weight gain go hand in hand. An article in the Journal of the Royal

society noted, "there is no good evidence that that advertising has a substantial

influence on children's food consumption and, consequently, no reason to believe

that a ban on advertising would have nay useful impact on childhood obesity rates"

(Berman). Children are exposed to advertising of many products, not just food. Even

so, they don't jump on every bandwagon they see. Although physical inactivity is

the main cause of obesity healthy eating is also very important. Schools try to instill

healthy eating in their students so why not teach the other half of the solution. If

schools were to really crack down on the healthy eating along with providing time

for physical activity, obesity in America would greatly decrease. Not only would this

effect the children of America but also adults. Children come home from school and

tell their parents what they learned and about their day. Kids would share their

knowledge of a healthy lifestyle and overtime spread throughout society. All in all

physical education in schools is a main source of being able to overcome obesity

now and for generations to come.

Another opposition to gym class is that it is a waste of time. Some believe

that gym should be removed from students' schedules to make room for more

academic classes. There are many reasons this is not a good idea. First of all being,
students sit in desks all day and they need a chance to get up and move around.

Gym also gives their brains a break. This in turn, will improve their performance in

their other classes. Students deserve a break from their long boring day to refocus,

revive, and reestablish their learning ability. When exposed to exercise students are

better able to stay awake and alert (Reynolds). I know I am not the only one who

has ever started to doze off in a class, and having a gym class would limit this. Not

only does gym improve the performance in other classes, it also has many

educational factors itself. It teaches competition and the drive to win. Students also

learn how to work and interact with others to pursue goals in a way which academic

subjects, such as mathematics and science, may not provide. Physical Education

should be a requirement for all school students because it provides physical skills

necessary for effective social functioning, offers educational value and teaches

healthy habits reducing health risks.

In conclusion, PE should be kept a mandatory class in the school systems.

Gym classes offer many beneficial qualities. Students get to improve both their

physical and mental health. Childhood obesity and the diseases that come along

with it are a huge problem in the US. Gym is a simple way to get kids active and

reduce obesity rates. It also helps students do better in there other academic

classes. Gym has been a scheduled class throughout schools for centuries why take

it away now. People try to blame food advertising for the obesity problems in

America even though inactivity is proven to be the main cause. Lastly gym class

itself teaches students many things such as competitiveness, teamwork and social

interaction. Should we take care of this problem now, or wait until it is too late? 4

Physical education should be a mandatory class throughout one's educational

career because it improves students physical and mental wellness.

 Works Cited

"Childhood Obesity Is an Urgent Public Health Problem." Childhood Obesity, edited

by Tamara Thompson, Greenhaven Press, 2016. At Issue. Opposing

Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010964202/OVIC?

u=pl1949&xid=30c94537. Accessed 17 Mar. 2017. Originally published as

"The Challenge We Face," Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a

Generation, 2010.

Berman, Richard. "A Lack of Physical Activity Causes Obesity." Food, edited by Laura

K. Egendorf, Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing

Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010432222/OVIC?

u=pl1949&xid=bd87b92e. Accessed 17 Mar. 2017. Originally published as

"Sloth, Not Ads, Is Responsible for Fat Kids," Advertising Age, vol. 76, 18 Apr.

2005, p. 30.

Reynolds, Gretchen. "How Physical Fitness May Promote School Success." The

New York Times. The New York Times, 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2017.