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Prevention of Diabetes in School Physical Education
Recent reports of the dramatic increase in cases of type II diabetes add further justification for providing youth with daily, quality school physical education programs. Type II diabetes is a disease that prevents the body from regulating blood sugar. Type II diabetes is rare in individuals who engage in a program of regular exercise. Participating in exercise requires energy - the working muscles demand blood sugar. It is this demand - created by exercise - that promotes the effective action of insulin in the body (insulin transports blood glucose to the muscle cells). Individuals who are inactive are at higher risk of insulin resistance and subsequently, type II diabetes.
The well-documented relation between inactivity and type II diabetes adds further weight to the argument for providing daily physical education programs in schools that give youth the chance to be physically active. Disturbingly, the rise in the incidence of type II diabetes has been most dramatic in younger age groups. The CDC reports that for the first time, diabetes is now being found in all adolescent populations in the United States. Youth most at risk include the obese, and African American, Hispanic, and American Indian youth.
Unquestionably, the lack of physical activity and the prevalence of a diet high in saturated fat is largely responsible for what is now being witnessed - what one Associated Press report called "an unfolding epidemic in the United States".
Similar to other chronic diseases, prevention of type II diabetes depends on lifestyle changes. However, type II diabetes is probably the one disease most likely to be prevented by participation in regular aerobic exercise. It is very clear school physical education has the potential to decrease the incidence of type II diabetes in this country. The simple answer is to ensure youth are given the opportunities to participate in appropriate physical education programs during their school day.
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Diet, Lifestyle, and Life Expectancy
"Life expectancy, which is defined as the age to which half the population of a given age can expect to live, has been increasing for many years and is higher today than it has ever been in the recorded past. This is a very positive development for all who share the ever increasing interest in diet, health and lifestyle."
Understanding Obesity
Obesity and overweight are important health concerns since they are associated with an increased risk of mortality.
Understanding Food
Modern food labels provide detailed information to help consumers understand the nutritional content of the foods they purchase. As a result, consumers are better able to make informed decisions with regard to which foods, and in what quantities, are best for good health.
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Eufic-Quizz
This is a site offering a fun health quiz for kids, to help them determine healthy eating patterns.
Foods on the Move:
the Role of Snacking in our Diet
"As the tendency to consume food between meals increases, it is important that people understand how to build the snack foods on offer into a well balanced diet and lifestyle. Snacking is often perceived as being harmful and not conducive to healthy eating. Snacks, however, can play a useful role in a healthy balanced diet."
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How to Raise Happy Healthy Children
Major news magazines have documented the frenzy taking place among the many parents who believe "more is better" when it comes to exposing their children to various types of activities. The overt message to readers is that parents need to "slow down", to "stop the insanity" of hyper-parenting - if the desired outcome is a happy and healthy child.
Personal stories that thread through these articles, detail frantic lifestyles in many homes across this country; the 5am clock (for adults and children), extraordinary amounts of time spent journeying to various activities, and an overwhelming amount of "stuff" scheduled into a normal day - sports, music, church activities, school, theatre, before-school programs, after-school programs, homework, etc.
As a father of three young girls (the oldest is not quite 4 years) I have read with interest, bewilderment, and concern, these personal accounts. Is this type of lifestyle the answer to raising happy and healthy children? The answer seems an intuitively obvious "No". Taking the time to talk and listen to your children, providing them ample free time to relax, play, read, create ... without the structure of constant adult-directed activities... seems to be the path to nurturing that parents should aspire to walk.
So why do parents force their children to lead such busy, hectic, pressured lives? Many of the answers can be found in "Hyper-Parenting: Are you hurting your child by trying too hard?" It confirms the obvious: the lifestyles that many adults are not entirely satisfied with - long hours, demanding expectations, and the rarity of precious, special and uplifting moments during the course of any one day - is certainly not the lifestyle conducive to raising happy and healthy children.
There may not be a "one-size fits-all" set of guidelines for raising happy healthy children. Perhaps some children enjoy the many demands and pressures that their parents expose them to. Perhaps...but the very least a "hyper-parent" could do is to stop often and ask them.
Darren Dale
Health and Fitness Section Editor
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Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them.
~ Orison Swett Marden ~
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From the
International Food Information Council
Everything You Need to Know About Caffeine
People have enjoyed foods and beverages containing caffeine for thousands of years. It is one of the most well-studied ingredients in the food supply. Even so, controversy and misperceptions about this food component continue.
Questions and Answers About Caffeine and Health
Caffeine is one of the most comprehensively studied ingredients in the food supply. There is considerable knowledge of this compound, with centuries of safe consumption in foods and beverages. However, some questions and misperceptions about the potential health effects associated with this ingredient still persist.
Food Biotechnology:
A New Brochure to Enhance Consumer Understanding
(Washington, D.C. - November 3, 2000) With all the buzz surrounding food biotechnology, the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation today released a new consumer brochure titled, Food Biotechnology: Enhancing Our Food Supply.
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Heart Association Establishes New Dietary Tips
by Kerry Neville,
Chicago Tribune
New dietary recommendations released by the American Heart Association in October encourage common sense, instead of the more confusing
rules of planning your diet based on percentages of fat and other nutrients.
Study Links Extra Soft Drinks to Children's Extra Pounds
by Emma Ross,
The Associated Press 
From the Seattle Times, an article of interest that highlights the link between consumption of soft drinks by children and childhood obesity. An
extra soft drink a day gives a child a 60 percent greater chance of becoming obese, new research suggests.
The U.S. study, published this week in The Lancet medical journal, says the soft drink/obesity link is independent of the food children eat, how much television or videos they watch, and the amount they exercise.
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The European Food Information Council
This is an independent, non-profit organization which has been established to provide consumers, nutrition and health professionals, educators,
opinion leaders, and the news media with science-based food information. Within one of the sections ,
Nutrition and Health you will find
EUNICE reviews and brochures which include articles such as
Children's Views on Nutrition : A Pan European Study. You download the entire publication here.
Hydrogenated Oils - The Silent killers
This article is a must! This article talks about Hydrogenated oils and trans fatty acids that are potential silent killers. Research studies show
conclusively that they cause non-insulin dependent type II diabetes, or hyperinsulinemia. This is a disease which can eventually burn out the
pancreas and cause insulin dependent diabetes. These changed molecular oils dramatically increase the risk of coronary heart disease, breast
cancer, other types of cancers and auto immune diseases. Over 100 research studies show how harmful these oils are to the human body. Read
here.
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Better Eating for Better Aging
Good nutritional habits never get old. It is important to continue eating a variety of foods to get necessary nutrients throughout the golden years.
Food Risks: Perception
vs. Reality
This program presents important food safety information to high school students, and encourages critical thinking skills.
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If you have ideas, comments, letters to share, or questions about particular topics, please email one of the following Section Editors:
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Help to support quality physical education and health education by contributing to this site.
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Please let your colleagues know about PELINKS4U, and remember you can catch up on a year's worth of news in our PE Archives.
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