Editor:

Thank you for your article bringing attention to the annual California Fitnessgram testing and to the ethnic disparities seen in the results (see “California 9th Graders Fail Physical Fitness” in the December 3rd email newsletter).

Though overall scores have shown slow but steady improvement, a pass rate of 34% is not nearly good enough. As a pediatrician and obesity specialist, I see daily the effects physical inactivity and poor nutrition are having on our young people.
 
Schools have had to forgo physical education classes over the years as greater emphasis has been placed on mandated academic testing. According to the American Heart Association, between 1991 and 2003, enrollment of high school students in daily PE classes fell from 41.6% to 28.4%.

As far as I am concerned, “No child left behind” is “No child moving forward, and no teacher left standing”.

Substituting PE time for class time within the school day reduces the biochemical phenomenon of insulin resistance (which dulls the brain).
 
Our children should receive daily, quality physical education, along with improved nutrition in school. By improving insulin resistance, childhood obesity will be reduced, with the additional benefits of enhancing academics, emotional growth, and lifelong health.

Prevention is cheaper and easier than treatment. The FIT Kids Act (Fitness Integrated with Teaching Kids Act) pending in Congress would amend the No Child Left Behind Act to support quality physical education for all public school children through grade 12 and ensure they receive important health and nutritional information.

Thanks to our Bay Area Congress members Reps. Anna Eshoo, Mike Honda, Zoe Lofgren, Jerry McNerney, and Lynn Woolsey for co-sponsoring this important legislation for our children and their futures.

Sincerely,

Robert H. Lustig, MD

Professor, Pediatric Endocrinology
Director, Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Program, UCSF