Extant studies indicate persons with autism have difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, repetitive behaviors, and poor ability to generalize learned skills. Obesity has also been identified as significantly affecting children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Negative experience in physical education (PE) may…

This study examined the status of participation in physical activity among international students attending colleges and universities in the United States. Participants for the study were 521 international students from five universities in the Midwestern part of the United States. Descriptive statistics revealed that international college…

Because of the growing obesity epidemic across all age groups in the United States, interventions to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviors have become a priority. Evidence is growing that interventions to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviors have positive results and are generally inexpensive to implement.…

This article shows how to explore children's perceptions of physical activity through content analysis of their artwork. Ninety-one children drew pictures of what they perceived to be "physical activity" and created a slogan for promoting physical activity in their community. Drawing content revealed types of popular activities,…

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is an epidemiologic surveillance system that was established by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help monitor the prevalence of behaviors that not only influence youth health, but also put youth at risk for the most significant health and social problems that can occur during…

Children's natural play patterns provide opportunity for fitness development. Children typically do not care about the benefits of physical activity or the physiology behind the activities they perform, but they are very interested in participating in fun activities. Often curricula focus on how to feed children values that are important to…

With the rising rate of overweight among children, it is more important than ever for students to spend an optimal amount of time participating in physical activity. As a means of measuring participation in physical activity, pedometers have become increasingly more common in the physical education classroom. This article shares tips for using…

Despite the recognized health risks associated with physical inactivity, most Americans are not active enough to achieve health benefits, and many report no planned physical activity at all. The Surgeon General's report on physical activity and health and several research studies have provided evidence that most Americans do not exercise and are…

Nutrition is well-recognized as a necessary component of educational programs for physicians. This is to be valued in that of all factors affecting health in the United States, none is more important than nutrition. This can be argued from various perspectives, including health promotion, disease prevention, and therapeutic management. In all…