State's students getting a little fitter

The state's Fitnessgram test results released Monday show the vast majority of students still need to be faster, leaner, stronger and more limber - not only to meet state fitness standards, but to combat an ongoing national obesity epidemic.

"We all know we have a long way to go to eradicate what I call the silent epidemic of childhood obesity and poor nutritional health," state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell said.

But Monday's results show a continuing trend in the right direction at a time when the state Department of Education says teenagers are three times more likely to be overweight than their 1980s counterparts.

During the Fitnessgram testing last spring, almost 34 percent of California's middle and high school students tested met all six of the state's fitness criteria, which includes a 1-mile walk/run, body-fat measurement and a series of strength and flexibility tests.

Last year, about 32 percent met the same standard, compared with 29 percent in 2007 and 28 percent in 2006.

School officials say public awareness campaigns and a greater emphasis in schools on nutrition and fitness appear to be paying off.
Rich kids, poor kids

Nearly 1.4 million students in grades five, seven and nine in 2009 took the test, which was administered from Feb. 1 through May 31.

As in years past, the Fitnessgram results illustrated the stark reality that physical fitness levels fluctuate based on socioeconomic factors.

In suburban and wealthier communities, students generally posted higher fitness scores than those in urban areas with a greater percentage of low-income students. In Pleasanton Unified, for example, 56 percent of students met all six criteria, compared with 23 percent in Oakland Unified schools. And in Palo Alto, 48 percent of students hit all six targets compared with 32 percent in San Francisco.

The results also showed a dramatic difference in fitness levels by race, with African American and Hispanic students lagging behind their white and Asian peers. For example, 27 percent of black fifth-graders statewide met all six fitness categories, compared with 39 percent of white fifth-graders - a gap that is mirrored in student academic performance statewide, a phenomenon known as the achievement gap.

Research shows that those who eat well and are physically fit perform better in school, O'Connell said. Keeping children active is "part of our strategy of closing the achievement gap."
Making PE count

The state requires 200 minutes of gym class every 10 school days for grades one through six and 400 minutes every 10 school days for middle and high school students, but those physical education requirements have been difficult to meet.

In 2006, more than half of 73 school districts reviewed by the state failed to meet those standards, including San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley, according to the California Center for Public Health Advocacy.
A lower priority

Physical education often took a back seat to the basics as the state and nation focused on high-stakes tests of math and literacy, sometimes leaving little time or resources for gym.

Yet state officials said with help from the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports - which promoted a program to get children physically active 30 to 60 minutes a day - districts are taking gym class more seriously.

In San Francisco, voters passed Proposition H in 2004, which specifically designated more city money for physical education programs. And this year, the school board adopted a physical education master plan to help ensure schools meet PE requirements.

Fitness scores inched up this year in the city.

More California students cast aside their couch potato ways in 2009 and scored better in annual physical fitness tests than in recent years.

"This is definitely a priority," said district spokeswoman Gentle Blythe.
Student fitness tests

The annual Fitnessgram test includes six content areas: aerobic capacity, body composition, abdominal strength, trunk strength, upper-body strength and flexibility. Students must complete a physical task to demonstrate their ability in each area.

Example: One option for the aerobic portion is a 1-mile run. To pass, students must complete the distance in the following time frames (in minutes) set by the Department of Education:

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