Res. No. 1925

Resolution calling upon the United States Congress to pass the FIT Kids Act, legislation that would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve standards for physical education.

By Council Members Avella, Gentile, James, Palma, Sanders Jr., White Jr. and Reyna

Whereas, Childhood obesity has risen dramatically over the years and continues to escalate; and

Whereas, More than 9 million children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 19 years are considered to be overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and

Whereas, The United States Department of Health and Human Services estimates that by 2010, 20 percent of children and youth in the United States will be considered obese; and

Whereas,  Much research shows that overweight adolescents are likely to become overweight adults, thereby increasing their risk of developing diseases such as cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer and diabetes; and

Whereas, In addition to proper nutrition, exercise is an essential component in maintaining a healthy weight; and 

Whereas, The CDC recommends that children engage in 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day; and

Whereas, Many children, however, do not achieve this goal and a decline in physical activity among children has contributed to the rising numbers in childhood obesity; and 

Whereas, Part of this decline in activity has occurred because of the decrease in physical education programs in our country’s school system; and

Whereas, The national standard for physical education frequency is 150 minutes per week in elementary school and 225 minutes per week in middle school and high school; and

Whereas, Many advocates for children’s health maintain that far too many schools are not meeting this minimum and therefore far too many children are not getting regular physical activity; and

Whereas, In addition to the physical health benefits, many experts believe that regular physical activity promotes academic and social success; and                       

Whereas, On March 18, 2009, H.R. 1585/S.634, also known as the “Fitness Integrated with Teaching Kids Act”, or the “FIT Kids Act”, was introduced in the United States Congress by Rep. Ron Kind and Sen. Tom Harkin; and

Whereas, The FIT Kids Act would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve standards for physical education by requiring annual state and local educational agency report cards to include specified information on school health and physical education programs; and

Whereas, The FIT Kids Act would also require promotion of healthy active lifestyles and improve professional development programs for teachers and principals by including training for physical and health education teachers; and

Whereas, This legislation would also direct the Secretary of Education to contract with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) for a study that assesses the affect of  health and physical education on students’ ability to learn, and that provides  recommendations for improving and measuring improvements to health and physical education in schools; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the United States Congress to pass the FIT Kids Act, legislation that would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve standards for physical education.  

JP

LS 6975

4/14/09