More than 80% of adults do not meet the guidelines for aerobic and muscular-strengthening activities, and more than 80% of adolescents do not get enough aerobic physical activity to meet the guidelines for youth.
Twenty-eight percent of Americans (80.2 million people) age six and older are physically inactive.
Reports project that by 2030, half of adults (115 million) in the United States will be obese.
Overweight adolescents have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults.
Prevalence of obesity from the early 1970s to 2007/2008 has doubled for ages 2–5, quadrupled for ages 6–11, tripled for ages 12–19, and doubled for adults.
Obesity-related illness, including chronic disease, disability, and death, is estimated to carry an annual cost of $190.2 billion.
The bottom line is that we are not making wise choices when it comes to our behaviors, routines, and habits in order to maintain good health. We’ve gone from a society of movers to one that is obsessed with technology usage, social seclusion, poor nutritional selections, and inactivity. It is devastating to think that we might be headed for extinction. This descending plunge can be redirected with purposeful intention that starts in our educational environments. If we look at Figure 2.1, there is clear evidence that as technology usage rates have risen, so have obesity levels. We will explore technology overload in Chapter 3, but the evidence sufficiently supports a required need for a cultural transformation. Excessive digital usage is damaging our minds, bodies, and well-being; educators are encouraged to be the trailblazers in this revolution. As school systems play a significant role in shaping our youth, balancing movement and technology in the classroom is a starting point that must be applied immediately. We owe it to ourselves, our future, and our existence.
An Unmotivated Society, an Unmotivated Student
As an educator, have you seen a change in your students’ work ethic over your years of service? Are students sedentary? Do they resist physical movement and active involvement in class activities? Many teachers have spoken out regarding this concern. It seems that many learners expect instant gratification and continual praise, with minimal effort. Many believe this to be a current trend in our society. It is common to hear this era referenced as the “Age of Entitlement.” This label is related to millennials/postmillennials and suggests that members of this generation have an overinflated sense of entitlement and lack the work ethic to achieve their goals. Do you witness this in your classroom and school environment? Teachers often feel that there has been a decrease in students’ energy levels. This change has a direct effect on day-to-day teaching challenges.
Figure 2.1 ■ Technology Usage vs. Obesity Rates
Note: All percentages are approximate, based on varying data
Sources: http://internetworldstats.com/emarketing.htm
http://stateofobesity.org/childhood-obesity-trends/
http://stateofobesity.org/adult-obesity/
Researchers believe that this notion starts at birth. Throughout their growing years, babies and infants are told how special they are; now they believe this to be true, even when their actions and decisions are less than favorable. These youngsters have a sense of expectation, feeling they should be treated with individual attention and exclusive focus. They have a driving concentration for self-fulfillment, while strong work ethics and self-sacrifice are qualities that are lost as a result. There has been a noticeable decrease in motivation with our younger generation as well. As technology dependencies increase, delaying adulthood, financial responsibilities, and a casual approach to life seem to increase. Many people feel this generation is physically lazier than the ones before it. New research appears to prove that this stereotype is true. Technology and the decisions we make regarding it may be the primal cause of this unmotivated society. Changes in parenting styles, educational expectations, and the choices we are making as human beings with both ourselves and our youngsters are also contributing to this descent. Combining movement and digital progressions in the classroom with equality can help to bring the value of physical activity back to our society. This will aid in strengthening the work ethic and energy levels of our youth.
New Normal
Describe a typical day of a young child or teenager in our society. These descriptions may vary greatly, depending on which individual you are considering. However, what if we defined the average day of the majority of our youth? You would more than likely describe an overuse of technology. Hopefully, you would also label a group of active movers. More often than not, our images will tend to include a collection of inactivity and sedentary children and adolescents. There is a new normal in our culture in which children are spending more time inside their homes as opposed to outside enjoying nature. Digital usage has become a main source for socializing. Binge-watching television and reality TV has replaced family time, where everyone viewed popular shows in order to enjoy common time together.
Is there a new normal in school environments as well? Some educators feel that we have transformed from a culture that educated the child as a whole to one that is preoccupied with making the grade. Standardized tests also play a part in how we design our curriculums. As teachers feel pressure to move at a certain pace through their content, even when students are not mastering the material, stress levels rise and demands increase. Are these current tendencies best practice for optimal learning and success? Educational facilities are playing a significant role in defining this new normal. Our goal must be to keep the positive qualities of this generation while redirecting their undesirable traits. Implementing kinesthetic teaching strategies is one serious tactic that can help get our society back on track while producing children who are active movers.
Turning Point or Point of No Return
The greater than symbol (>) is used in this book to represent the decline of movement in today’s society. Experts have reported that we may be raising the first generation of children that may not outlive their parents. This statistic is shocking and alarming! Researchers have declared that we are fighting a war against the increase of childhood obesity, and many are convinced we are losing drastically. Yet, minimal educational countermeasures have been taken to combat these devastating concerns. Health challenges are increasing and physical activity and fitness levels are plummeting. Have we reached a point of no return?
We must redefine our perspective on movement and physical activity. Fitness has typically been linked to sports, physical performance, coordination, and what someone looks like. The time to change this way of thinking has come. Moving forward, physical fitness will be connected to health (brain and body equally), feeling good about oneself, and improving academic performance in the classroom. Everyone has the ability to be physically fit at a level that fits each individual. Fitness is not for the elite athlete and has nothing to do with talent and/or skill. Instead, it’s about you and becoming the strongest version of yourself possible. The game is not over; we can still turn things around! Teachers, administrators, parents, community supporters, school board members, and other agents of change who are reading this book are ready