Colorado traditionally has ranked as one of the healthiest states in the nation, a claim that reinforces a culture of activity, community and well-being. Though Colorado is ahead of the curve in this area, Coloradans aren't immune to the growing trends that threaten the health of people across the nation. One of the most concerning elements of…

The interrelationship between the health status and work activity of older men plays a central role in at least three current controversies about the direction of public policy: whether the average health levels of older men have deteriorated, remained the same, or improved over the past 25 years; whether retirement status influences health…

This guide for a suggested secondary school physical education program is in two parts. The first part, a curriculum guide, contains general statements outlining program content and rationale, goals and learning outcomes, and growth and developmental characteristics of junior and senior high school students. Program management, teaching methods,…

Arizona's comprehensive health education standards begins with a health rationale for each standard, then details the seven standards: (1) students comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention; (2) students demonstrate the ability to access accurate health information; (3) students demonstrate the ability to practice…

This self-assessment and planning guide is intended to help schools identify the strengths and weaknesses of their health promotion policies and programs, develop an action plan for improving student health, and involve teachers, parents, students, and the community in improving school services. It focuses on physical activity and nutrition. After…

Describes how one North Dakota middle school taught students self-management skills for active lifestyles. Students learned basic principles of activity through classroom activities and were encouraged to establish and maintain after-school activities. Heart rate monitors helped teach the concepts of physical activity as detailed on the Fitness…

This study examined gender and ethnic trends in Mexican American and Anglo preschoolers at home and school using physical, physiological, dietary, activity, and socioenvironmental assessments. Height and total skinfolds showed significant ethnic differences, confirming that preschool represents an age of rapid habit and behavior development…

This study attempted to examine differences in physical activity levels between urban and rural primary school children. The sample consisted of 256 Greek-Cypriot children and their parents from two schools representing urban areas and three schools representing rural areas. Children's activity levels were assessed for 4 weekdays in the winter and…

While questions of children's engagement in physical activity are being widely debated, little is known about how physical activity is valued and managed within families. This paper reports on qualitative data from a multi-method study on lower primary aged children. The focus of the broader study was to determine the relationships between young…

This study examined the priority health behaviors among Chinese youth by administering a questionnaire to 1,917 undergraduates enrolled in three universities in China. The response rate was 89.7%. This survey found that 75.2% of the participants tried cigarettes at least once during their lifetime, over half had their first cigarette and alcoholic…

In this article, the author cites valuable lessons to be learned from reality television shows that can also be utilized by physical educators. The author states some of the reality television's messages like: (1) physical educators must know how to maximize the activity time during physical education class; (2) must have a plan of action so that…

"Child Care Health Connections" is a bimonthly newsletter published by the California Childcare Health Program (CCHP), a community-based program of the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing, Department of Family Health Care Nursing. The goals of this newsletter are to promote and support a healthy and safe environment…

This report discusses health promotion for young people, focusing on 10 strategies for facilitating physical activity and sports for children and youth. A background section discusses the benefits of physical activity, how much physical activity and fitness young people need, how active and fit America's children and adolescents are, and how…

Inherent in the current school reform movement is an assumption that good schools are effective schools (Cuban, 1998). Effectiveness is usually defined narrowly in terms of academic achievement. Other purposes of schools related to social justice, developing student social skills, student health, or the personal development of students has not…

The 1992 Washington State Survey of Adolescent Health Behaviors (WSSAHB) was created to collect information regarding a variety of adolescent health behaviors among students in the state of Washington. It expands on two previous administrations of a student tobacco, alcohol, and other drug survey and includes questions about medical care, safety,…