As gym classes dwindle, how can kids keep fit?

Jacqueline Stenson MSNBC contributor

With schools cutting back on physical education classes — and some eliminating them altogether — the prospects for getting exercise during the day aren’t great for many kids heading back to school this fall.

So what’s a parent to do to make sure their children get the exercise they need?

For starters, don’t rely too much on gym class, experts say. While some schools are updating PE to include in-line skating, elliptical trainers, wall climbing and other popular activities, more schools are reducing or stopping their PE programs.

“Unfortunately, physical education is one of the first things that gets cut when there’s a budget crunch,” says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist at the American Council on Exercise in San Diego.

And even when gym class is offered regularly, it’s almost never enough to meet the new federal guidelines that children get at least an hour of physical activity on most days of the week.

Only 8 percent of elementary schools, for example, and about 6 percent of middle schools and high schools offer daily physical education classes, according to the National Education Association. For kids not involved in after-school sports, this could spell a very sedentary day.

SPECIAL REPORT MSNBC.com looks at the business of education

Meanwhile, the rate of obesity among youth is escalating. Among children ages 6 to 11, 16 percent were overweight in 2002, compared with 7 percent in 1980, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among kids 12 to 19, 16 percent were overweight in 2002, three times more than in 1980.

Even at young ages, obesity is not just a cosmetic issue. Almost two-thirds of overweight youth have at least one additional risk factor for heart disease, including high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Overweight kids also may suffer with sleep apnea or bone and joint problems, according to the CDC.

It starts at home
Bryant says parents must take charge to make sure their kids lead an active lifestyle. “It really has to start at home with the parents serving as good role models,” he says.

Couch-potato parents obviously shouldn't expect to have fitness-fanatic kids. Parents who lead an active lifestyle will help instill that behavior in their children. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator or going for evening walks are habits that children can adopt early.

Bryant recommends parents spend time each day engaging in age-appropriate physical activities with their kids, such as tag, hopscotch, various sports, bike riding or Frisbee at the park.

And just as some kids are rewarded with some TV or Nintendo time for doing their homework, the same strategy could be applied to exercise, Bryant says.

"We should pay just as much attention to the physical side of things," he says.

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