SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 101

(By Senator Unger)

Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study increasing the amount of physical activity required in schools.

    Whereas, Childhood obesity is an epidemic in West Virginia and the United States. According to a report from the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, if the obesity rates continue to grow at current rates over the next two decades, the health and economic cost to our state and the nation will be staggering; and

    Whereas, West Virginia has some of the highest rates of the highest-cost and highest-incidence health problems related to obesity and physical inactivity: Type 2 diabetes, coronary, heart disease and stroke, hypertension, arthritis and obesity-related cancers; and

    Whereas, Researchers estimate that the medical costs of adult obesity in the United States range from $147 billion to nearly $210 billion per year and that Medicare and Medicaid will pay $61.8 billion of those costs. In West Virginia, a recent economic study found that in 2009 the direct medical cost of obesity was $8.9 million; and

    Whereas, Childhood obesity is responsible for $14.1 billion in direct medical costs nationally. In West Virginia the estimated direct medical cost to Medicaid for treatment of childhood obesity in 2013 was $198.1 million; and

    Whereas, Providing healthy, nutritious meals and snacks in schools will help curb the rise in childhood obesity but that alone is not enough to address the obesity epidemic; and

    Whereas, There is a large body of scientific evidence demonstrating that regular physical activity promotes growth and development in children and teens and has multiple benefits for physical, mental and cognitive health; and

    Whereas, A study by the Institute of Medicine found that physical activity is related to lower body fat, greater muscular strength, stronger bones and improvements in cardiovascular and metabolic health, as well as improvements in mental health by reducing and preventing conditions such as anxiety, depression and enhancing self-esteem; and

    Whereas, West Virginia was ranked the number-two state nationally in adult physical inactivity in a 2013 report by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; and

    Whereas, Children and teens have low levels of physical activity. For example, former military leaders report that twenty-seven percent of young Americans are too overweight to serve in the military; and

    Whereas, According to a 2005 national literature review reported in Pediatric Exercise Science, students in middle and high school engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity during physical education class for twenty-seven to forty-seven percent of class time; and

    Whereas, A study reported in the West Virginia Medical Journal found that elementary school physical education classes provide moderate to vigorous physical activity for less than twenty-seven percent of the recommended class time rather than the recommended fifty percent. West Virginia children are generally not receiving the necessary intensity of activity nor the minimum of sixty minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity; and

    Whereas, Research shows that physically active children are more likely to thrive academically and socially. There is evidence that physically fit children have higher scholastic achievement, better classroom behavior and less absenteeism than their unfit counterparts; and

    Whereas, Children and teens spend more than half of their waking hours at school which makes school an ideal location to increase physical activity; and

    Whereas, Schools have historically been leaders in supporting the well-being of our children and teens by providing health screenings, immunizations and nutrition programs while training them to be productive citizens and lifelong learners. The next step in nurturing and developing healthy productive children and teens is to engage them in regular physical activity. Our schools can and should play a major role in efforts to make our children and teens more active, putting them on a track toward better health

and performance in school and throughout life; and

    Whereas, The schools can not accomplish this alone; the necessary improvements in our children's health and well-being will require collaboration between the families, communities and schools; and

    Whereas, In 2005, the Legislature enacted the Healthy Lifestyles Act; however, there is no mechanism to assure implementation and many students are not receiving the benefits of the required physical education; and

    Whereas, The availability of online resources and peer training greatly improves teacher and principal perception and participation in physical activity programs; and

    Whereas, Teachers and principals report that physical activity has been successfully incorporated into classroom teaching in some schools in West Virginia through “Let’s Move! West Virginia” programs such as activity breaks and active learning without the need for special facilities or additional physical education teachers or expanding the school day; and

    Whereas, Schools face challenges in providing needed physical education and physical activity to students. Lack of staff and equipment and increased pressure to raise test scores and greater demands to meet content standards and objectives time imped efforts to provide adequate physical education and activity. Regardless of the challenges, schools must provide physical education and physical activity in order to assure their health and well-being and halt the obesity epidemic afflicting our children and teens; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby requested to study increasing the amount of physical activity required in schools; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2015, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.