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Data drives decisions. Therefore, assessments are a key component to a successful program. The primary goal of the PE4life research initiative is to demonstrate that programs that integrate PE4life's Core Principles are having a positive impact on the health of children. Indicators of positive health for students include such parameters as better fitness scores, enjoyment of physical education, higher levels of physical activity outside of school, better test scores, and fewer behavioral problems such as suspensions.

Three Academy Training Centers partnered with faculty at local universities to help evaluate the PE4life program. These universities include:

 

• The University of Kansas
• The University of Arkansas
• Slippery Rock University (Pa.)

 

At each of the three Academy Training Centers, quality control procedures and standardized assessments are employed in order to make comparisons with traditional physical education programs. The evaluations are longitudinal, tracking the same children over 3 years. This process uses highly specialized fitness software to track the children's progress.

Assessments at each of the sites include:

• Aerobic capacity/Cardiovascular (PACER assessment)
• Muscle strength (curl up abdominal strength)
• Muscular endurance (90% pushup upper body strength)
• Flexibility (back-saver sit and reach measure)
• Body composition measures (i.e., height and weight (calculate BMI), waist circumference, skinfold measures (triceps, calf)
• Amount and type of physical activity students receive each week
• Enjoyment of physical activity
• Behavioral issues (i.e., suspensions, number of days of suspensions)
  
  

For the 2010-11 school year, we’re engaged in a research project in our Urban Core Initiative in Kansas City in partnership with the University of Kansas.

 

Other Research

Physical Education Info

2003 NASPE Parent Survey
2006 NASPE Shape of the National Report, Executive Summary
California Department of Education Study comparing Fitness Standards and SAT (MS Word) (visit the CDE website)
Recess - An Essential Component in our Elementary Schools (MS Word)
Physical Education Requirements
The Role of schools in preventing childhood obesity. The State Education Standard: For summary of article, click the link.

 

CDC Findings

Childhood Overweight Fact Sheets for Every State
Make a Difference at Your School: Key Strategies to Prevent Obesity
Obesity and Overweight Children
Obesity Prevalence Among Low-Income, Preschool-Aged Children — United States, 1998–2008Patterns of Childhood Obesity Prevention Legislation in the United States
Physical activity and health: a report of the Surgeon General executive summary
U.S. Obesity Trends

 

Daily PE

Develop Your Body and Mind
First Choice Study
Lack of exercise, other bad behaviors explain link between depression and CVD, study suggests
School Health Policy Guide : Fit Healthy and Ready to Learn (Section D)
The Guide To Community Preventative Services : Fact Sheet: Physical Activity

Daily Youth Health and Well-Being

1st Quarter 2006: Policies Affecting Child and Adolescent Nutrition, Obesity and Physical Activity : Provided by the Health Policy Tracking Service and the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, this report contains an overview of actions regarding topics as diverse as snack and soda taxes to safe walking and biking paths, broken down by state.(MS Word)
Heart-Rate Measured Activity : How much activity do Youth Get?
Exercise: an alternative ADHD treatmentHeart-Rate Measured Activity : How much activity do Youth Get?
Exercise is positively related to adolescents' relationships and academics: For summary of article, click the link
Facts on Kids Health : Facts AND Action Items for Kids Health Physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns are associated with selected adolescent health risk behaviors
Physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns are associated with selected adolescent health risk behaviors: For summary of article, click the link
Promoting Better Health for Young People Through Physical Activity and Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System
Promoting the participation of children with disabilities in sports, recreation, and physical activities: For summary of article, click the link.
The Influence of physical activity on mental well-being: For summary of article, click the link
The Relation between physical activity and mental health among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white adolescents: For summary of article, click link

 

Exercise/ Brain

A User's Guide to the Brain : Harvard Medical School expert (Dr. John Ratey) is quoted as saying "Aerobic exercise is good for the brain." 
Aerobic fitness and cognitive development: event-related brain potential and task performance indices of executive control in preadolescent children: For summary of the article, click the link.
Be Smart, exercise your heart: exercise effect on brain and cognition: For summary of the article, click the link.
Can Exercise Replace Ritalin as Treatment for ADHD?: A recenty study at SUNY Buffalo demostrated exercise improved the behavior of some ADHD children. 
Dr. John Ratey: Harvard Medical School expert Dr. John Ratey articles page 
Exercise and working memory: an individual differences investigation: For summary of the article, click the link.
Exercise can help dyslexic students: >Exercises targeting brain's learning center have a profound effect 
Exercising the body can benefit the brain: Science News Online 2-part series regarding lifestyle and the brain 
Exploring the Link Between Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement - Snapshot
Exploring the Link Between Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement - Issue Brief
More Vigorous Exercise Equals Better Academic Performance: Michigan State University and Grand Vally State University research results
NPR: Exercise Helps Students in the Classroom: Audio Segment. Includes comments from Dr. John Ratey.
Physical activity and student performance at school: For summary of article, click the link.
Physical education, school physical activity, school sports, and academic performance: For summary of article, click the link.
Physical fitness and academic achievement: For summary of the article, click the link.
Physical fitness and academic achievement in third- and fifth-grade students: For summary of the article, click the link.
The Resilient Brain: Brain research opens new frontiers in working with children and youth experiencing conflict in school and community.

Obesity Stats

NPR: Fighting Obesity : Audio segment
Prevalence of No Leisure-Time Physical Activity: Physical inactivity is associated with obesity and increased risk for chronic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and diabetes mellitus) and premature mortality.
U.S. Kids Have Shorter Life Expectancy Because of Obesity

 

PE4life Review of Statewide Health and Wellness

Pennsylvania Report Card

Summaries of articles about physical activity:

 

Physical activity and health: a report of the Surgeon General executive summary

A suggestion from this article is the amount of physical activity is more important than intensity.  It states that physical activity could include briskly walking for 30 minutes, 30 minutes of mowing the lawn, 15 minutes of running, etc.  Everyone can benefit from physical activity.  Significant benefits can be obtained by including a moderate amount of PA in your life.  Physical activity also improves mental health, relieves symptoms of depression, and anxiety.  To see the complete article, click here.

Manley, A. F. (1999). Introduction, summary, and chapter conclusions. Physical activity and health: a report of the Surgeon General executive summary (pp. 9-14). Washington D.C.: Center for Disease Control Prevention.

 

Promoting the participation of children with disabilities in sports, recreation, and physical activities

 

This report discusses the impact of physical activity on children with disabilities.  Exercising has been shown to increase health and slow the progression of chronic diseases for children with disabilities.  Along with the health benefits, physical activity can have tremendous effects of a child’s psychological well-being.  Participating in physical activity or sports gives a child opportunity for friendship, creative expression, and developing a sense of identity and a purpose in life.  Special Olympics participants show higher self-esteem, more physical competence, and independence.  The report also states that mildly strenuous exercise can help reduce maladaptive behaviors and fatigue in children with autism and other developmental disabilities.  This report suggests that you should focus on including children with disabilities instead of excluding them.  To see the complete article, click here.

 

Murphy, N., Carbone, Paul, & Council on Children with Disabilities, Initials. (2008). Promoting the participation of children with disabilities in sports, recreation, and physical activities. PEDIATRICS, 121(5), Retrieved from www.pediatrics.org

 

Exercise: an alternative ADHD treatment

 

The purpose of the article is to discover how exercise can affect children with ADHD.  Dr. John Ratey explains how exercise affects the brain.  Exercise increases dopamine and norepinephrine, which are associated with regulating the attention system.  If one exercises regularly it increase the baseline levels of dopamine and norepinephrine.  This article argues that exercise balances alertness, movement, and emotions.  It also describes how a study found that walking at least three days a week for 6 months would increase the volume in the prefrontal cortex.  The prefrontal cortex is in charge of impulses, planning, and inhibition.  This article as a whole is suggesting that physical activity can improve attention and ability to control impulses and in general decrease the symptoms of ADHD.  To see the complete article, click here.

 

Ratey, J. (2008). Exercise: an alternative ADHD treatment. ADDitudeMag.com, Retrieved from http://additudemag.com

 

Physical education, school physical activity, school sports, and academic performance

 

This study reviewed the relationship between academic achievement and school-based physical activity.  This study is a compilation of general studies that show the positive relationship between physical activity and academic achievement.  The review of all the articles suggests that there is definitely a relationship between the two.  To see the complete article, click here.

 

Trudeau, F., & Shephard, R. (2008). Physical education, school physical activity, school sports, and academic performance. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 5(10)

 

Physical activity and student performance at school

 

Provided within this article is a comprehensive review of several articles that research physical activity.  The review includes the experimental designs and the outcomes of each study.  Most, if not all the studies conclude that physical activity positively impacts academic achievement.  To see the complete article, click here.

 

Taras, H. (2005). Physical activity and student performance at school. Journal of School Health, 75(6), 214-218.

 

Exercise and working memory: an individual differences investigation

 

Researchers tested whether students who already had a certain level of brain function could be impacted by physical activity.  The participants included college students.  The study method had the participants exercise for 30 minutes before performing the academic tasks (memory tasks).  The study found that exercise might be more beneficial for those with lower achievement scores.  This could be because children, who score lower in working memory, have a tendency to be more distracted that people with higher working memory.  This shows that exercise has an effect on both attention and working memory.  To see the complete article, click here.

 

Sibley, Benjamin, & Beilock, Sian. (2007). Exercise and working memory: an individual differences investigation. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 29, 783-791.

 

Physical fitness and academic achievement in third- and fifth-grade students.

 

This study tested whether exercise had an influence on academic performance of preadolescent children.  The study looked at math scores and reading comprehension.  They tested the fitness levels with the FITNESSGRAM.  They found that physical fitness was positively related to academic achievement.  All three academic test scores that lower BMI or more fit participants had better test scores.  To see the complete article, click here.

 

Castelli, D, Hillman, C, Buck, S, & Erwin, H. (2007). Physical fitness and academic achievement in third- and fifth-grade students. Journal of Sport & Exercise Physiology, 29, 239-252.

 

Aerobic fitness and cognitive development: event-related brain potential and task performance indices of executive control in preadolescent children

 

The purpose of this study was to find if exercise affected executive control in preadolescent children.  Executive control is the process of the brain including perception, memory, and attention.  This study used a test that tested attention and the ability to filter useless information, called interference.  The researchers found that exercise related to better brain function.  Students that participated in the exercise group improved their response time compared to the control group.  Another finding was the higher fit children had higher response accuracy compared to the lower-fit children in all conditions.  These findings suggest that children have improved attention and ability to inhibit unimportant information.  To see the complete article, click here.

 

Hillman, C., Buck, S., Themanson, J., Pontifex, M., & Castelli, D. (2009). Aerobic fitness and cognitive development: event-related brain potential and task performance indices of executive control in preadolescent children. Developmental Psychology, 45(1), 114-129.

Physical fitness and academic achievement

 

This study researched the effect of exercise on academic achievement.  The overall fitness score improved along with the mean achievement scores.  The tests for academic achievement were math and reading comprehension for every fitness level.  From fit to unfit, academic scores improved.  In terms of socio-economic status (SES), fitness and academic scores increased at a greater rate for higher SES students than for lower SES students.  Thus, suggesting that lower SES students might have extra-factors that affect their academic performance.  To see the complete article, click here.

 

Grissom, JB. (2005). Physical fitness and academic achievement. Journal of Exercise Physiology, 8(1), Retrieved from http://www.science.smith.edu

 

Exercise is positively related to adolescents' relationships and academics

 

In this article, the results suggested that exercise could lead to better relationships, including relationships with their parents.  They also found that children are less likely to participate in exercise if they don’t have social support.  To see the compete article, click here.

 

Field, T., Diego, M., & Sanders, C. (2001). Exercise is positively related to adolescents' relationships and academics. ADOLESCENCE, 36(141), 105-110.

 

Physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns are associated with selected adolescent health risk behaviors

 

Physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns are associated with selected adolescent health risk behaviorsThis study investigates that relation between physical activity and adolescent risk behaviors.  The participants in the study who exercise more than 5 times a week were less likely to have sexual intercourse, smoke, get drunk frequently, be truant, and less likely to have low self-esteem.  The academic article has wide-ranging results that support physical activity has positive impacts of children’s well-being.  To see complete article click here.

 

Nelson, M., & Gordon-Larsen, P. (2006). Physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns are associated with selected adolescent health risk behaviors. PEDIATRICS, 114, 1281-1290.

 

The Influence of physical activity on mental well-being

 

This report is about how physical activity affects mental well-being.  One of the major statements this article makes is that physical activity decrease the risk of developing depression and the experiments show that exercise can help treat depression and the experiments show that exercise can help treat depression symptoms.  There are also studies that show moderate effects for reducing anxiety symptom.  It is believed that exercise energizes and produces more positive attitudes.  The emotional benefits are greater if the individual sets personal goals for themselves.  In terms of physical activity, self esteem is important to study because of its close association with emotional stability and because low self esteem is related to poor health behaviors.  To see complete article click here.

 

Fox, K.R. (1999). The Influence of physical activity on mental well-being. Public Health Nutrition, 2(3a), 411-418.

 

The Relation between physical activity and mental health among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white adolescents

 

This article claims physical activity is associated with a positive mood, greater self-esteem, and greater physical and psychological well-being.  Physical activity were shown to have an impact on decreasing the feelings of sadness and suicidal ideation among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white students.  Higher levels of vigorous physical activity associated with a decrease in planning suicide.  To see complete article click here.

 

Brosnahan, J., Steffen, L., Lytle, L., Patterson, J., & Boostrom, A. (2004). The Relation between physical activity and mental health among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white adolescents. Arch Pediatrics Adolescent Med., 158, 818-823.

 

The Role of schools in preventing childhood obesity. The State Education Standard

 

This report advises what a school’s role is when it comes to the health of children.  Most schools can help students adopt and maintain healthy eating and physical activity behavior.  One step this article suggests is the elect a school health coordinator to help promote a healthy/wellness program in your school.  Before you start the program, it is important to assess the program you already have or your needs for the program.  Once the assessment is done, your school needs to develop a plan to strengthen the school’s policies on nutrition and physical activity.  Policies should include that of high quality courses of study for health and physical education, but also create a wellness promotion program for school staff.  In the development of new courses, an administrator or educator should consider emphasizing knowledge and skills for lifetime of physical activity, it should meet the needs of students, and keep the students active for the majority of a physical education class time, and make it enjoyable for all students.  Lastly, give opportunities for physical activities outside the gym.  Give students other options for physical activity.  To see complete article click here.

 

Wechsler, H., McKenna, M.L, & Lee, S.M. (2004, December). The Role of schools in preventing childhood obesity. The State Education Standard, 5(2), Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/physicalactivity/pdf/roleofschools_obesity.pdf

 

Be Smart, exercise your heart: exercise effect on brain and cognition

 

This study is a literature review of various studies that show the positive relationship between physical activity and brain function.  This article has contains many articles about research on adolescents, adults, and animals and how physical activity affects them.  This sums up the article entirely, “there is converging evidence at the molecular, cellular, behavioral and systems levels that physical activity participation is beneficial to cognition.  Such evidence highlights the importance of promoting physical activity across the lifespan to reverse recent obesity and disease trends, as well as to prevent to reverse cognitive and neural decline.  Accordingly, physical activity can serve to promote health and function in individuals, while also lessening the health and economic burden placed on society.”

 

Hillman, C.H., Erickson, K.I., & Kramer, A.F. (2008). Be Smart, exercise your heart: exercise effect on brain and cognition. Perspectives, 9, 58-65.