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Introduction

The Open University — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:33:37 GMT

In this unit, aimed at teachers of Physical Education, we begin by looking at some of the common misconceptions relating to fitness and activity levels together with accepted definitions of these concepts. We consider how active young people should actually be, and discuss how PE teachers can ensure they are making an effective contribution to this area of public health.

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Learning outcomes

The Open University — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:33:37 GMT

The learning outcomes for this unit are:

To be aware of fact and fiction with regard to relationships between young people's health, activity and fitness.
To consider how the physical education curriculum can contribute to public health through the design and implementation of practices which promote active, healthy lifestyles.
To learn about current strategies for increasing young people's participation in physical activities.

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1 Myths and misconceptions

The Open University — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:33:37 GMT

Physical education provides opportunities for pupils to be creative, competitive and to face up to different challenges as individuals, and in groups and teams. It promotes positive attitudes towards active and healthy lifestyles.
(Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (2004) www.nc.uk.net/esd/teaching/pe/index.htm)

What does this mean for PE teachers? How can PE teachers effectively help to promote active, healthy lifestyles amongst young people?

Nearly every week we hear reports on the decreasing fitness and activity levels of children and young people in Britain – lifestyle changes would appear to have led to widespread sedentary behaviour, particularly for this age group.

However, there is much hyperbole in some of the media reporting, together with interchangeable use of the terms fitness, activity and health. Before considering some of the evidence, it may be helpful to refresh our understanding of these terms – the following are accepted definitions of these complex concepts:

Health is ‘… a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.’ It is a ‘… resource for everyday life, not the objective for living, and a positive concept emphasising social and personal resources as well as physical capabilities.’
Activity is ‘… any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure.’
Fitness is ‘… a set of attributes that people have or achieve that relates to the ability to perform physical activity.’
(Health Education Authority (1998) Young and active?, p.2)

Now look at a number of commonly used statements and ideas concerned with health, activity and fitness in Activity 1.

If you would like to open this quiz in a new window click on 'Launch in separate player'

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Click on 'View document' to read three case studies used in the activity below

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Activity 1

Part A

Look at the ‘Health, fitness and physical activity statements’ contained in the animation above.

Decide whether you ‘agree’ or ‘disagree’ with each statement. Then compare them with the commentaries.

Did any of the answers surprise you?

These statements highlight some common myths and misconceptions associated with health, fitness and physical activity.
Why do you think myths and misconceptions are so widespread in this area?

Discuss your ideas with your colleagues and consider any implications there may be for your department's curriculum content or for your own lessons.

You might like to try the quiz with your pupils.

Part B

Read the three short case studies of young people by clicking on the "view document" link above this activity.

Make notes about what the case studies suggest, individually and collectively, in relation to the following questions:

Do you think that these young people are fit? What makes you think this?
Do you think that these young people are healthy? What makes you think this?
What guidance could be offered to these people? Who should provide this?
Can you think of any real or hypothetical examples of a fit, unhealthy person?
Can you think of any real or hypothetical examples of an unfit, healthy person?
How are the above issues addressed in your school's curriculum?

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2 How active should young people be?

The Open University — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:33:37 GMT

Physical activity in childhood has a range of benefits, including healthy growth and development, maintenance of a healthy weight, mental well-being and learning social skills. It is particularly important for bone health, increasing bone mineral density and preventing osteoporosis in later life. Although there is only indirect evidence (compared with adults) linking physical inactivity in children with childhood health outcomes, there is strong justification for encouraging young people to be physically active.
(Department of Health, Chief Medical Officer, At least five a week: Evidence on the impact of physical activity and its relationship to health, April 2004)

But how active should young people be? How much activity is enough?

In 1998 the Health Education Authority in England published recommendations about how active young people should be. This was significant as, for the first time, it helped us to answer the important question: ‘Are young people active enough?’

The recommendations were based on current scientific evidence and expert opinion, and framed in the context of current lifestyles of young people.

The primary recommendations are:

‘All young people should participate in physical activity of at least moderate intensity for one hour per day.

Young people who currently do little activity should participate in physical activity of at least moderate intensity for at least half an hour per day.’

While the secondary, or subsidiary, recommendation is:

‘At least twice a week, some of these activities should help to enhance and maintain muscular strength and flexibility, and bone health.’

(Source: Health Education Authority, New Recommendations for Promoting Health-Enhancing Physical Activity with Young people (5–18 yrs)).

Moderate intensity activities might include brisk walking, cycling, swimming or dance, in addition to most sports. There is no requirement for the activity to be performed in a continuous fashion; it may be undertaken intermittently throughout the day.

Have a look at the recommendations in detail in Activity 2.

Click on 'View document' to read New Recommendations for Promoting Health-Enhancing Physical Activity with Young People (5–18 yrs) used in the activity below

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Activity 2

Read: Health Education Authority, New Recommendations for Promoting Health-Enhancing Physical Activity with Young People (5–18 yrs). It is available by clicking on "view document", above.

Then consider the following:

Does the rationale for each recommendation seem sound?
Why do you think there are two levels of Primary recommendation, depending on current activity levels?
Is this relevant information for the PE profession?
How would you anticipate using this information in your school?
How much control do you think young people have over their activity levels?
Does this have implications for your teaching?

You might like to ask a group of your students to keep an activity diary over several days. The time chart from the Lifebytes website (click here) is a useful template.

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3 The challenge of change

The Open University — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:33:37 GMT

…although we may be striving to turn a profession that has the inertia of a supertanker, as individuals each of us is a speed boat that can turn on a dime…
(Pate and Hohn (1994), p. 217)

The American authors of the quote above suggest that PE needs to change so that it places primary emphasis on the promotion of lifelong exercise. However, they consider that this could be slow and difficult to achieve. Nevertheless, they maintain that changes at grassroots level can occur with lightning speed, and they invite PE teachers to make a change in their curriculum or teaching today.

Explore these ideas further in Activity 3.

Click on 'View document' to read to document by Pate, R.R. & Hohn, R.C used in Activity 3.

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Activity 3

Click on the "view document" link, above, to read Pate, R.R. & Hohn, R.C. (1994), the extract from ‘Health-related physical education – a direction for the 21^st Century’.

Does the authors' analysis of physical education in the USA resonate with your experiences in the UK?
Do you agree that PE programmes that focus exclusively on motor skill acquisition are too narrow and short-sighted?
Should the cognitive and affective domains be given much more time and attention?
In your experience, has there been a shift in the UK towards activity promotion?

Record your responses to these questions and then discuss you thoughts with your colleagues.

How would you describe the balance of lifelong exercise and motor skill instruction in your scheme of work?

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4 Encouraging physical activity

The Open University — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:33:37 GMT

The proportion of children who were active for 60 or more minutes in 7 days in the last week was calculated. Overall, a higher proportion of boys than girls achieved the recommended levels – 70% of boys compared with 61% of girls. Among boys, the proportion active for at least 60 minutes on 7 days did not vary markedly with age. In contrast, levels of physical activity among girls declined from about age 11.
(Source: Sproston, K. and Primatesta, P. (Eds) (2003))

How can the PE profession ensure that school physical education effectively contributes to this aspect of public health?

‘Although there is no proven strong link between the quantity of physical activity undertaken by an individual in childhood with that taken in adulthood, there are stronger associations between physical activity in childhood and physical activity in adulthood when the quality of the physical activity experience in childhood, rather than simply the quantity, is taken into account. In addition, there is evidence to show that, by the time young people leave secondary school, their attitudes to sport and exercise and their level of perceived ability are highly predictive of whether or not they are physically active as adults.’
(Department of Health, Chief Medical Officer, At least five a week: Evidence of the impact of physical activity and its relationship to health, April 2004.)

It is therefore important that curricular practices and policies in schools effectively promote active, healthy lifestyles amongst young people. Activities 4a and 4b look at resources and case studies which you might find helpful when planning this area of your PE programme.

Activity 4

Part A

Browse through the Lifebytes (click here) and Mind, Body, Soul (click here) websites, having a particular look at the ‘physical activity’ areas.

In your notebook, record your views on the ‘physical activity messages’ within the websites.

Are these messages delivered as part of your school's PE and/or PSHE curriculum?
How might you go about incorporating them into your school's curriculum?
Are there parts of these sites which you could use in your lessons?
How effective do you think these sites would be at stimulating discussion with your students?
Could you use the activity journal from the Lifebytes site?

Part B

Both the PESS (click here)and NHS Wired for Health (click here) websites describe case studies from schools which have implemented different initiatives to increase pupils' commitment to and involvement in healthy, active lifestyles.

Browse the websites and find one case study which interests you and is pertinent to your school.

Make notes on your chosen case study in your notebook:

Which group of pupils did the project focus on?
What were its aims?
What was the level of commitment and involvement? From Staff? From pupils?

Using your notes and knowledge of your own school, discuss with colleagues ideas for increasing physical activity in your school. You might want to present your ideas to a school staff meeting or governors’ meeting.

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Next steps

The Open University — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:33:37 GMT

After completing this unit you may wish to study another OpenLearn Study Unit or find out more about this topic. Here are some suggestions:

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References

The Open University — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:33:37 GMT

Armstrong, N., & Welsman, J. (1997) Young people and physical activity, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Department for Education and Employment & Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (1999) The National Curriculum for Physical Education, London, QCA.

Department of Health (2004) Chief Medical Officer, At least five a week: Evidence on the impact of physical activity and its relationship to health, London.

Harris, J. (2000) Health-related exercise in the National Curriculum. Key stages 1 to 4, Leeds, Human Kinetics.

Health Education Authority (1997) Young people and physical activity. A literature review, London.

Health Education Authority (1998) Young and active? Policy framework for young people and health-enhancing physical activity, London.

Health Education Authority (1998) New Recommendations for Promoting Health-Enhancing Physical Activity with Young People (5–18 yrs), London.

Institute of Youth Sport (2000) Towards girl-friendly physical education: the Nike/Youth Sport Trust Girls in Sport Partnership project: Final report, Institute of Youth Sport, Loughborough.

Pate, R. R., & Hohn, R. C. (1994) ‘Summary. Health-related physical education – A direction for the 21^st Century’, In: Pate, Russell R. & Hohn, Richard C. (Eds) Health and Fitness through Physical Education, Champaign, Illinois, Human Kinetics. (pp. 215–17).

Sports Council & Health Education Authority (1992) Allied Dunbar national fitness survey. Main Findings, London.

Sproston, K. and Primatesta, P. (Eds) (2003) Health Survey for England 2002. Volume 1: The health of children and young people, London, The Stationery Office.

Williams, A.M. & Bedward, J. (1999) Games for the girls – the impact of recent policy on the provision of physical education and sporting opportunities for female adolescents – a report of a study funded by the Nuffield Foundation, Winchester, King Alfred's College, ISBN 0 9536943 0 5.

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Acknowledgements

The Open University — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:33:37 GMT

Except for third party materials and otherwise stated (see terms and conditions), this content is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Licence

Grateful acknowledgement is made to the following sources for permission to reproduce material in this unit:

Author details

Jo Harris is Senior Lecturer in Physical Education at Loughborough University and is Director of the Teacher Education Unit. Her research focuses on the expression of health within the National Curriculum for Physical Education, an area in which she has produced numerous teaching resources and delivered many in-service courses for physical education teachers. Jo is currently President of the Physical Education Association of the United Kingdom (PEA UK).

Text

Text extract: New Recommendations for Promoting health-Enhancing Physical Activity With Young People (5-18yrs), Health Education Authority. Crown copyright material is reproduced under Class Licence Number C01W0000065 with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen’s Printer for Scotland

Text extract: Pate, R. R.and Hohn, R. C. (1994) ‘Health-related Physical Education – A direction for the 21st century’, pp. 215-17, in Health and Fitness Through Physical Education, Human Kinetics

Unit image

Courtesy of jasonaut / Jason Parker: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonaut/472312/ [Details correct as of 4th June 2007]

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