This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study evaluating the social quality of school physical education in Flanders. Drawing on a nine-question survey, it explores the expectations and experiences of 124 respondents from different social, educational and workforce agencies and organisations with regard to important objectives of high…

The purpose of this study was to assess physical activity levels and the relationships between activity and personal characteristics among a cohort of college students and to determine personal characteristics that predict activity. A sample of 1,700 undergraduates was mailed a survey that requested demographic information and assessed health…

Objective: To evaluate an intervention aimed at increasing family physical activity and parent education about diet and activity for kindergarten students and issues related to their children's BMI. Methods: A randomized, controlled trial design was used to assess intervention impact in parental report of child diet and physical activity, and step…

Organized afterschool programs have received increased attention over the past two decades because of changes in family demographics and in society's structures for supervising and socializing youth. The number of afterschool programs has been rapidly expanding to meet the increased need. However, not all youth in need are being reached, and the…

The Academic Learning Time in Physical Education (ALT-PE) instrument is a popular research tool for investigations of student engagement patterns in physical education settings. This study examined student engagement patterns in a large Canadian urban center measured with the 1982 version of the ALT-PE instrument in a variety of secondary physical…

The present study investigated whether infants of mothers who were depressed postpartum would behave like infants of non-depressed mothers who simulated depression. A total of 24 mothers and their 3-month-old infants were videotaped during face-to-face interactions. All mothers were given the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the State-Trait…

This booklet gives parents suggestions for helping their children's motor development by careful selection of physical activities and sports from birth through the teen years. In each of three sections, comprising birth to five years, six to twelve years, and the teen years, brief introductory passages discuss skill development and give specific…

This book provides guidance on what high-quality movement programs for young children should include, offering a curricular foundation, strategies for teaching, and assessment ideas. It defines and illustrates specific interrelated components of developmentally appropriate practice in providing movement education for young children. There are…

Regular physical activity, fitness, and exercise are critically important for all people's health and wellbeing. It can reduce morbidity and mortality from many chronic diseases. Despite its well-known benefits, most U.S. adults, and many children, are not active enough to achieve these health benefits. Physical inactivity and related health…

This document presents content and performance standards for physical education in Nevada's public schools. The five content standards are: students will understand and apply movement concepts and principles to the learning and development of motor skills; students will demonstrate competency in many movement forms and proficiency in a few…

For the past 50 years, poor physical health of adolescents has been a concern in the U.S. The obesity rate has tripled from 5% in 1980 to 15% in 2000. With more emphasis placed on high stakes standardized tests, the priority of physical education classes has taken a back seat. Based on a survey done in 2003, slightly more than half of the states…

A study investigated changes in children's physical fitness during summer vacation. Children's cardiorespiratory fitness decreased, as did their body weight, especially for boys. Fall curriculum offerings should be designed to accommodate detrained students. (PP)

Physical fitness, sports, and recreation are as necessary for the handicapped as for the nonhandicapped. Recreational opportunities for handicapped children involving horseback riding, square dancing, and skiing are described, and changing attitudes on the subject are explained. (PP)

Several simple performance tests are described for assessing an athlete's major energy-producing capabilities. The tests are suitable for mass screening because they are easy to administer, require no sophisticated equipment, and can be done quickly. Information for evaluating test results is included. (PP)

Analyzes why so many adults are inactive by examining how children are introduced to physical activity, focusing on two behavioral principles that are germane to turning children on to physical activity (fun and self-worth), reviewing practices that violate these principles, and speculating about why the principles get violated. (SM)