Public Policy Analysis

Introducing more PE into schools as a way of reducing childhood obesity

Childhood obesity is one of the most commonly-identified problems facing the nation today, yet lawmakers have struggled to address it effectively because of its multifactorial nature. "It is the No. 1 health problem in children…a study this year in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that obese children were twice as likely to die of disease by age 55" (Netter 2010). The food the child consumes at home; the food the child consumes at school; the child's level of physical activity; genetics; and possibly other as-yet unidentified factors all contribute to a child's body mass. However, while there is no 'silver bullet' solution, mandatory PE classes are an important step forward in reducing obesity. "Only six states nationwide require the recommended 150 minutes of elementary school-based physical education" (PE programs, 2012, Huffington Post). This...
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