Watauga’s teachers will be among those dancing to
the tune of “Let’s Get Physical” next month.
A state training initiative will reach 60 physical education teachers
in a four-county region, providing Sports, Play and Active Recreation
for Kids (SPARK) curriculum training. SPARK has a social component
that focuses on individual connection rather than group activity.
It promotes developing continuously active, small-group and non-competitive
environments and encouraging all students to participate.
Rates of childhood obesity are rising, along with related diseases,
such as childhood diabetes. Overweight children have a 70 percent
chance of being overweight as adults and facing higher risks for
many conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke and several
types of cancer.
The Centers for Disease Control has predicted that one third of
all children born in 2000 would develop diabetes in their lifetime.
For the first time in a century, children’s life expectancy
is declining.
According to a recent study by Be Active NC, unhealthy eating
and physical inactivity costs North Carolina an estimated $57
billion annually.
All physical education teachers will be provided with hours of
training and curriculum manuals and software for Fitnessgram,
a program to measure fitness levels. The data will be analyzed
by the N.C. Center for Health Statistics and made available to
parents, teachers, the school and the district to help guide policy
decisions.
The program was created by the North Carolina Alliance for Athletics
Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance and designed
to improve physical activity and eating habits to reduce obesity
and the number of overweight children in grades K-8.
It is funded by a grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust,
the North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund and Blue Cross
Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation.
Obesity prevention has been drawing a lot of resources and attention,
with 54 percent of North Carolina children physically inactive.
North Carolina has the fifth-highest rate of overweight and obese
youth in the country.
Watauga County received a $475,000 grant to fight childhood obesity
last fall, and the Blue Ridge Parkway was recently awarded a $200,000
grant to promote physical activity among youths.
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