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)

Reviewed research on school-based obesity prevention programs to identify ways to minimize increasing obesity levels. Seven studies showed change in body mass index and differed from those not finding change in three ways: program implementers were not classroom teachers, intervention targeted middle or high schools, and inactivity reduction was…

This report summarizes results from the national survey, 24 state surveys, and 9 local school-based surveys of U.S. high school students. Categories of behaviors monitored are: behaviors that contribute to unintentional and intentional injuries, tobacco use, alcohol and other drug use, sexual behaviors, dietary behaviors, and physical activity.…

This article describes a modular approach to facilitating learning of health/fitness concepts by elementary students. The module helps students learn to assess their fitness, emphasizing the importance of lifetime activity. By helping students become more interested in health through visual and practical applications, teachers can enhance positive…

This paper examines the writings of Dorothy Harris and other authors, from a psychosocial perspective of sport involvement. It explores ways self-perceptions, social factors, and cognitive and biological maturity interact to explain females' physical activity participation; it proposes a heuristic model to represent an interactional approach. (SM)

Discusses a study that compared internal health locus of control (IHLOC) with internal exercise locus of control for predicting college students' activity. Results indicate an independent influence of IHLOC on free-living physical activity and suggest that testing adjust for fitness, barriers to physical activity, and outcome-expectancy values.…

Found a consensus in children's judgments of videotaped fighting episodes as playful or serious. Results were similar for Italian and English children, for 8 and 12 year olds and for girls and boys. The most frequently cited judgment criterion was physical actions. A questionnaire study yielded a further criterion of facial expression. (BC)

Examines proposed changes in school physical education. Although researchers recommend promoting lifetime health through school physical education, it is not known which features promote active lifestyles and which do not. Professionals must learn more about promoting positive attitudes toward healthful living and develop a continuous,…

The presence of older Olympians suggests aging itself may not be the primary obstacle to long-term athletic performance. For older athletes, scheduling sufficient training and recovery time becomes increasingly difficult, but physical and financial rewards entice them to try. No studies have directly addressed the true potential of aging athletes.…

In this study researchers conducted exercise testing, collected data on demographics and physical activity, analyzed data by gender and major, and compared results with data on nonphysical education majors. The paper presents the results by category. (SM)

Regular exercise is important for children's and adolescents' health maintenance, facilitating weight control, strengthening bones, and improving cardiovascular risk factors and mental health. Active childhoods help promote lifetime fitness. Physicians can assess children's weight and activity levels during routine exams. With simple…