CONFERENCE/WORKSHOP CALENDAR

The Kids 'N Fitness Project The Kids 'N Fitness project includes a collection of offline projects for all grade levels and subject areas. The curriculum is available in PDF version, and can be downloaded with Adobe Acrobat Reader. You can also request a curriculum booklet be-mailing your name, school, and address to fitness@co-nect.net. The KidFit Team The KidFit team wanted to provide a guide for physical fitness. The National Physical Fitness requirements are identified at this site. The personal training circuit lists exercises, explains how to do them, and identifies the purpose for each exercise. Individuals can work with both resources to determine their personal requrements and set personal goals. Many team and individual sports are described to guide students as to their interests and abilities. Suggestions for healthy eating habits and ways to stay in shape are stated. A personal interview from a U.S. soccer player is also included.

Children's Health & Exercise

Helping Your Child Lose Weight Find out answers relating to childhood weight problems. If a child is overweight, will he/she always be overweight? Are weight problems related to hormone imbalances? How can I help my child lose weight? How can I help my child eat healthier, and exercise more? Find out these answers and more. Do You Know How to Feed Your Child Athlete? "All kids need to eat balanced meals to ensure a healthy diet, so does it really make a difference if your child is on a sports team or working out? Sure it does! You may think that those long hours at the gym or the daily practices after school can only make your child healthier, and they certainly are a part of a healthy lifestyle - but only if your child is eating the right foods to support increased activity." Read the rest of this article. Compulsive Exercise Although exercise has many positive benefits, too much can be harmful. Teens who exercise compulsively are at risk for both physical and psychological problems. Read this article to learn more about compulsive exercise, its warning signs, and its effects. Strenth Training & Your Child So what is strength training and is it safe for your child? Read this article to find out more about strenth training, body building, and weight lifting and it's effects on kids. What You Should Know About Steroids "As a parent, you're probably concerned about the use of steroids by young athletes and you may even be concerned about your own child's health. What do you need to know about steroids and how can you talk to your child about them?" Read the rest of this article. Preventing Children's Sports Injuries According to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, each year in the United States: More than 3 million children experience sports and recreation-related injuries. 20% of children participating in sports activities are injured; one fourth of these injuries are considered serious. Approximately 775,000 children are treated in hospital emergency departments for these injuries. 21% of traumatic brain injuries in children are the result of sports or recreational activities. By knowing the causes, prevention, and treatment of sports injuries, you can help make athletic participation a positive experience for your child. Read the rest of this article.

Adult Fitness

Fitness Connection Fitness Connection is an excellent our online source for Health and Fitness. Fitness Connection is the Internet's premier portal for information on weight loss, diets, bodybuilding, clothing, equipment, fitness models, personal trainers, nutrition, and supplements for both beginners and advanced athletes.

Exercise Training considerations for Children - Part 2 This is the second article in a series of editorials that I will be written on dealing with the trainability of children. Aerobic Exercise for Children It appears that most children are not active enough to develop their full cardio-respiratory potential. For any given maximal oxygen intake, physical performance is somewhat poorer in a child than a young adult, because most tasks from running to competitive sports are performed with a lower mechanical efficiency. However, most children can improve their cardio-respiratory potential given sufficient quality and quantity of exercise. Lacking is a general consensus on the quality and quantity of exercise required to improve and maintain a minimum level of fitness in children. General Recommendations: Children should be encouraged to participate in sustained activities that use large muscle groups. The type, intensity, and duration of exercise activities need to be based on the maturity of the child. Regardless of age, the exercise intensity should start out low and progress gradually. A variety of methods should be employed to monitor exercise intensity. Exercise sessions need to be creatively designed to help keep children's attention. Children should be encouraged to warm-up before, and cool-down after, sustained aerobic activities. Above all, design the activites so they are fun and well within the capabilities of the children. My next editorial will deal with how children respond and adapt to strength training, and some tips on planning strength development activities in P.E. settings. Scott Roberts Health and Fitness Section Editor

Baby's Health

Jauntice in Healthy Newborns This is a 'must read' article for new parents, or expecting new parents. High levels of bilirubin - usually above 20 mg - can cause deafness, cerebral palsy, or brain damage in some babies. In rare cases, jaundice may indicate the presence of hepatitis. This article describes what to look for, and when.

Miscellaneous

Safety City This enjoyable Kids page is the US based National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Safety City home page. Includes games, movie, and colourful presentations on the importance of safety on our roads, whether they're on foot, on a bike, or in a car. "Students can visit the Crash Test Lab to see what happens when cars crash and passengers aren't wearing seat belts. Or, they can click over to the School section to learn more about school bus safety. On the Bike Tour of the site, kids can make sure they have the proper safety equipment for riding a bike."

If you have ideas, comments, letters to share, or questions about particular topics, please email one of the following Section Editors:

	Scott Roberts
	Andy Jenkins
	Darren Dale
	Ron Hager

Healthy Mealtime Habits "Providing your child with the knowledge of how to make good food choices is important. But sometimes it is hard to know how to go about instilling healthy food habits in your child or teen. Read this article to find out more about helping your child develop healthy mealtime habits at home, at school, and on the road." Your Child's Weight "If you are concerned about your child's weight, you are in good company. About 25% to 30% of school-age children in the United States are overweight or obese, which puts them at risk for disease and low self-esteem. Eating disorders are on the rise among young people as well." Read the rest of this article to learn more about weight and kids, and healthy ways to manage weight for the entire family. Feeding a Child with Diabetes "If your child is diagnosed with diabetes, one of your first concerns may be about his diet. Along with insulin injections, medications, and exercise, following a proper diet and establishing regular mealtimes can be the key to successfully managing diabetes. Although it may take some adjustments to implement, the healthy eating plan you adopt for your child with diabetes can be good for your entire family to follow." Read the rest of this article. Eating Disorders-How to Understand & Help According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are eating disorders that are increasing among teens and kids, especially among young women. You can understand more about how eating disorders affect kids and teens by reading this article.

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Featured Web Sites

Mammograms Revisited Women who get regular mammograms may reduce their risk of dying from breast cancer by more than 60% - about twice the amount seen in large formal studies, according to a new analysis by the American Cancer Society. TV Time Linked to Childhood Obesity We PE and Health teachers have been telling parents that too much TV leads to chubbiness among kids and teens. Finally, there's some current research that backs up what we've been saying for years. Find the details at the MSNBC Health website. Low and No Nicotine Cigarettes are No Alternative Low tar cigarettes have been marketed for years under the guise that they are less harmful to smokers, but research has shown that nicotine addicts simply smoke more in order to achieve the level of nicotine they are accustomed to receiving. The new Vector cigarette offers no new hope for smokers who wish to cut down or quit. Read all about it at the American Council on Science and Health website. Prescription and Non-Prescription Drug Resource Need a good information resource for prescription and over-the-counter drugs? The National Institutes of Health host a great comprehensive guide that teachers and students can use for obtaining information on brand name and generic drugs.