The Shape of Our Nation's Children

Never before in the history of our nation have there been so many children with health problems. A lot of the causes of these problems can be attributed to obesity because of poor diets and lack of physical activity:

• The percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980.
  
  
• Among children and teens age 6 to 19 years, 16 percent (over 9 million young people) are overweight.
  
  
• Four in 10 Hispanic and African-American youths ages 6 to 19 are overweight or at risk of being overweight.
  
  
• Approximately 60 percent of obese children age 5 to 10 years have at least one cardiovascular disease risk factor.
  
  
• Children and adolescents who are overweight by age 8 are 80 percent more likely to become overweight or obese adults.
  
  
• More than a third of young people in grades 9 to 12 do not regularly engage in vigorous physical activity.
  
  
• Over 11 percent of high school students get no moderate to vigorous physical activity.
  
  
• Participation in physical activity declines as children get older.
  
  
• Overall, among high school students, males are more physically active than females and white students are more active than black and Hispanic students. May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. Take time to teach your students about the importance of regular physcial exercise via our curriculum-focused eLibrary resources.

Pathfinder for Exercise: Click Topics tab > Sports & Gym > Fitness > Exercise. Assign half of the students to write a 100-word report using at least two resources and answering these essential questions:

• What form of exercise do you think is the healthiest for you and why?
  
  
• What form of exercise do you enjoy the most and why?
  
  
• How does exercise help you to improve and maintain your health?
  
  
• What may happen if you don't exercise regularly and why?

Pathfinder for Obesity: Click Topics > Sports & Gym > Fitness > Taking Care of Your Body > Nutrition Disorders > Obesity. Assign the other half of the students to write a 100-word report using at least two resources and answering these essential questions:

• What type of foods will cause you to become obese and why?
  
  
• What are the best foods for you to eat on a regular basis and why?
  
  
• How can exercise along with proper diet keep you healthy and feeling good?
  
  
• What foods are healthy and also ones you like?

BookCart lesson activities offer significant advantages to both students and teachers. BookCarts save time searching and ensure excellent resources for student to make selections. BookCarts save classroom/library time and reduce distractions, providing more time on task. Since BookCarts contain all the directions, essential questions, and learning resources students need, there is less chance of confusion about the assignment.

Assign half the class to use one of these BookCarts and the remainder the second: "Obesity in Children," or "Exercise and Health." Instructions and essential questions are included to guide them.

Pathfinder to copy model BookCarts:

1. Open the eLibrary Elementary Teacher Edition BookCart Editor.
   
   
2. Click the BookCart Admin link at the top-right.
   
   
3. Click the ProQuest Carts tab.
   
   
4. Click the Folder on the left margin: Elementary BookCarts.
   
   
5. Scroll to find Exercise and Health.
   
   
6. Click the Copy icon in the Actions column.
   
   
7. Click Return to My Local Carts.
   
   
8. Repeat process for Obesity in Children.

This BookCart can easily be edited for effective use:

1. In My Local Carts, find and click the new Title that will have "Copy of" as its prefix.
   
   
2. Delete "Copy of" in the Title.
   
   
3. Type your name in the Author boxes.
   
   
4. Scroll down and click Save button at bottom.
   
   
5. Return to My Local Carts.

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