Posts Tagged ‘Fitness Testing’

President’s Challenge is Now on Facebook

Tuesday, August 18th, 2009

The President’s Challenge is now on Facebook.

The Physical Activity and Fitness Awards Program of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS). Most well-known for the physical fitness test in K-12 schools, we also offer programs for all ages to keep track of their fitness activities and earn awards endorsed by the President of the United States.

To find the group, simply type in the word’s “President’s Challenge” in the Facebook search box and click on the group with the President’s Challenge logo.

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Fitter Students Do Better on Tests

Friday, August 14th, 2009

This recent news story citing  studies  showing that overweight skids score lower on academic tests is kind of interesting.

SALT LAKE CITY — More studies seem to show obese kids do worse in school. In other words, fitter students do better on tests than fatter students.

This is a classic example of how some people mistake correlation for causality.  There probably is a link between fitness and academic performance.  However, isn’t it plausible that fitter students who perform well in fitness testing may be genetically gifted neurologically and physiologically?  In other words, training that results in better performance in fitness testing may not necessarily be the cause of better academic performance.  After-all, you still need to do your math homework do perform well on a math test.  Exercise is certainly not a substitute, you still need to do the math.

As a physical educator, I would like to think that exercise has a positive effect on academics.  After reading the book by John Ratey called Spark, I’m even more convinced of the effects of exercise on the brain.  We just need to be cautious of studies that are usually based on correlation.

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FitMet Body Mass Index Calculator

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

By John Kruse

FitMet has created a free Body Mass Index (BMI) Calculator as a Google Gadget.  This simple calculator can be embedded into your own web-page.

The motivation behind this calculator came from the need for a BMI calculator that is specific to children.  Most BMI calculators on the Internet use adult cut-off points.  The FitMet BMI calculator uses Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Growth Charts.  This is important due to the growth rates of children and is reflected in these charts.

The use of the CDC growth charts has some additional benefits as well.  BMI is being used more as a diagnostic tool these days rather than a body composition measure.  Research indicates that those at the 85th percentile or higher are more at risk for cardiovascular disease.

The FitMet BMI calculator is ideal for physical education and health teachers.  To embed it on you web-page, simply cut and paste the html code from the Google Gadget web-page into you website.

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Body Massachusetts Index & BMI Issues

Sunday, June 28th, 2009

By John Kruse

Recently, Massachusetts stipulated that measurement of Body Mass Index (BMI) will be required in grades one, four, seven and ten in public schools. This new requirement is an attempt to do something about rising obesity rates in children. The program is slated to start this fall and was decided upon by the Massachusetts’ Public Health Council.

BMI is calculated by dividing weight (in kilograms) by height (in meters) squared. Required BMI screenings are certainly controversial. Critics often cite the shortcomings of the measurement with various ethnic groups. For this reason, the FITNESSGRAM assessment uses a criterion that is much more forgiving than the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) popular norm-referenced growth charts.

A recent study published in the April issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine found that one in four preschoolers (4-year-olds) in the US are obese. The cut-off point to determine obesity was a BMI at the 95th percentile. According to the CDC’s growth charts a BMI at the 95th percentile for girls and boys is considered obese. Interestingly, the FITNESSGRAM criteria starts at 5-years-old (i.e.: they don’t have a standard for below age 5) and a BMI at the 95th percentile (approximately a BMI of 18) falls within FITNESSGRAM’s “Healthy Fitness Zone.” In other words, who are we to believe? CDC standards say these youngsters are obese. FITNESSGRAM standards suggest these children are healthy (assuming their BMI remains the same at age 5).

Other issues with BMI exist for individuals with athletic builds and a high percentages of muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat and its not uncommon for these individuals to have BMI scores suggesting they are overweight or obese.  These issues will usually only pertain to adults since children haven’t experienced the hormonal changes necessary to build a significant amount of muscle mass.

While Massachusetts is requiring BMI screenings, they will also allow parents to opt out of the measurement. Perhaps parents in Massachusetts should be given the option of skin-fold measures of body composition due to the shortcomings of BMI. After all, if overall health is the objective, why not use a measurement that is calibrated off the gold standard–hydrostatic weighing.

Additional note: Check out FitMet’s free BMI Calculator and embed it on you website.

References:

http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts.htm

Sarah E. Anderson; Robert C. Whitaker. Prevalence of Obesity Among US Preschool Children in Different Racial and Ethic Groups. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009;163(4):344-348.



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Georgia Likely to Add Required Fitness Testing

Monday, March 23rd, 2009

By John Kruse

Last week, Georgia’s Senate voted 34-14 to require annual fitness testing for students starting in 2011/2012.  The proposal has now been sent to the state’s governor for final approval.

If approved, Georgia will join a list of other states who already require annual fitness testing.  California, for example, requires physical fitness testing in grades 5, 7 and 9.

According to an article in The Daily Citizen, the new version of legislation did away with proposed twice yearly weigh-ins that would be used to measure body mass index and instead forces school districts to come up with an annual fitness assessment.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.  Will school districts choose the popular FITNESSGRAM or President’s Challenge fitness assessments?  Or, will they instead create their own assessment?

The Daily Citizen article also points out that the idea is to reward students who attain the new benchmark. This is where things get really interesting!

School districts will have a tough decision in establishing this benchmark since FITNESSGRAM’s standard, known as the “Healthy Fitness Zone,” is cirterion based and spans approximately the 20th to 60th percentiles.  This means that students would only have to reach the 20th percentile to be in the “Healthy Fitness Zone” and achieve the benchmark.  The President’s Challenge, on the other hand, uses a more rigorous norm-reference where students can strive for awards at either the 50th or 85th percentiles in all five tests.

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