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Study: Fitter students fare better

Pilot program shows half of participating students are overweight or obese

By Melody Brumble

A statewide study of public school students' physical fitness found the fittest students tended to perform better on state standardized tests.

The Picard Center for Child Development and Lifelong Learning analyzed results of Fitnessgram tests taken by more than 25,000 students in 15 Louisiana school districts in the 2009-10 school year. The tests measure body mass index, body strength, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance. Researchers correlated the results with participating LEAP scores and charted the results based on students' socioeconomic status, race and gender. They also looked at how special education students fared on the fitness tests.

Caddo, DeSoto, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Red River and Sabine parishes were among those participating in the study in the 2009-10 school year. Researchers announced their findings for the state and individual parishes Wednesday in conjunction with the kick-off of National Child Obesity Awareness Month.

The study also tried to determine whether healthier students have fewer behavior problems in school. However, researchers admitted they couldn't find a statistically significant link between fitness levels and the number of behavior referrals a student had.

"One of the next steps is to look at how much of an effect fitness has on LEAP scores," said Holly Howat, the lead researcher.

Howat and her colleagues recommend increasing involvement of state agencies' local offices and nonprofit organizations in child health-related projects to help the state meet a goal of having 95 percent of Louisiana children with a healthy body mass index — neither underweight nor overweight — and minimum physical fitness levels. They also suggest setting nutrition standards for food and beverages offered in schools and requirements for how much time students spend in active physical education.

"This is a complex and multi-faceted problem, and it's going to take a complex, multi-facted solution," Howat said.

Caddo Parish wellness and physical education coordinators are using the Fitnessgram results to charge proposed changes to in-school P.E programs, said Jimmy Windham, elementary and middle school P.E. supervisor.

Students at all but three alternative schools participate in Fitnessgram testing every fall and spring.

District officials are working on a standard physical education curriculum for every grade, starting with the transition years of fifth, eighth and 12th grades. The Picard Center study showed students tend to start at or near a healthy body mass index and fitness level but decline over time.

The curriculum will include lessons about measuring one's fitness level, why exercise is important and how students can maintain fitness as adults. Teachers will focus on social development, such as team work, in addition to the mechanics of a sport.

Bowling, badminton, karaoke, yoga and even board games may supplement the traditional team sports in PE classes.