Move more, learn more with physical activity and education

We all are aware of the obesity epidemic building throughout the United States and particularly here in South Carolina. Our state is one of the fattest in the country. A recent ranking listed us at the very top in diabetes, one of the most deadly consequences of obesity. More and more of our children are becoming overweight at younger and younger ages.

To address this problem the Charleston County Medical Society (CCMS) School Health Committee has worked with the Charleston County School District (CCSD), the Charleston County Medical Alliance, DHEC, the Medical University (MUSC), Trident United Way, and the College of Charleston. After finding that about 40 percent of students and as many as 70 percent of teachers are overweight or obese, we have worked to make healthier foods available in schools, to improve physician assessment of childhood obesity, and to create/collaborate with school-based programs such as the Lean Team, Junior Doctors for Health, and Louie's Kids.

However healthier eating is only half of the solution; the other is increased physical activity. An unexpected bonus of physical activity is that it has other benefits beyond healthier weight and physical fitness. As incredible as it seems, simple exercises that are strategically added to the school day help kids be better students. Even adults can only sit still and concentrate for so long. Research studies have found this time limit to be about 45 minutes. Everyone's ability to learn takes a sharp nosedive after that. This is especially true for children. However studies have demonstrated that when teachers keep kids moving with short classroom exercises every 30 to 45 minutes, students increase their knowledge retention and test scores. They even behave better and stay out of trouble!

However, as academic performance is the basis for No Child Left Behind school ratings, it is easy for physical activity/education to be ignored. To keep a focus on fitness and the many benefits of exercise to both health and learning, we have worked diligently with the CCSD to increase physical activity and physical education and to meet the mandates of the SC Student Health and Fitness Act of 2005. Together with the MUSC Lean Team, CCSD schools have added walking clubs, led groups of students across the Ravenel Bridge, participated in the Cooper River Bridge Run, and created a web-based series of "Deskercizes with Coach Dave" that teachers can use in the classroom. (Visit MUSC's The Lean Team web site to see the Deskercize videos.)

Another exciting new CCSD program is PE4Life, which incorporates regular classroom physical activity with daily physical education. The school district where PE4Life originated, Napierville IL, has had such phenomenal increases in science and math test scores that Denmark and Japan have send educators for training. Last spring, at the initiative of two health conscious CCSD principals, Dirk Bedford and Dan Conner, teachers and staff from Mitchell Elementary and Stall High School traveled to Napierville to find out more about this program. This year, with support from the Medical Society of South Carolina, these two schools are starting their own PE4Life programs.

All of this is beginning to pay off. Sometimes seemingly simple solutions can have a surprisingly big effect. That is the case with physical activity which can have an impact on both obesity and poor school performance. These twin problems are complex, entrenched, and inter-related but the stakes are too high to ignore them. Our children's health and success are too important. We call upon everyone in our community to come together about this issue and get moving.

JANICE D. KEY, M.D.

KATHRYN OUTZ, M.D

Co-Chairs

School Health Committee

Charleston County Medical Society

DAVID SPURLOCK

Director, Athletics and Physical Education

Charleston County School District