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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Guest opinion: We’re ignoring health, fitness in schools at our peril

Keith Snyder Special to The Spokesman-Review

For the first time in the history of our state we are raising a generation of young people who will live sicker and shorter lives than their parents.

In past decades, educators have been a guiding force in societal trends on a state and national level. As I walk my campus and visit with colleagues and students, I have become aware of an alarming trend which is being endorsed by the actions and policies of our educational system, as well as our state and national leaders. Health and fitness education is no longer a priority in practice, in principle or in funding. Students and faculty alike are fatter, sicker and more sedentary than ever before. Preventable, chronic disease is at an all-time high. Diabetes is currently the fastest-growing disease in the history of our nation.

With the push for better math and technology skills, the concept of health and physical education has been pushed to the back burner and, in some cases, eliminated altogether.

The impact of health illiteracy is widespread across America and is rapidly becoming a fundamental cause of our national health dilemma. People simply lack the knowledge and skills to make quality health-related decisions. Over $2 trillion annually (17 percent of our national economy) is spent on health care in the United States, and we are still one of the sickest nations in the world.

In the eyes of many government and school leaders, health and fitness education is the responsibility of each individual and/or their respective families. We are one of the few nations in the world to follow this philosophy, which has led to the crisis that we are in today.

Health and physical educators statewide show passion and dedication in their work to impact these catastrophic numbers, but their opposition has greatly increased on all fronts, including state lawmakers.

Statewide, fitness and health education requirements are being reduced or eliminated. Opportunities for K-12 students to opt out of fitness or health education have risen sharply as state requirements are eased and funding reduced. Even in our state’s higher education, general undergraduate or university requirements are slowly dropping any reference to health or movement education. In addition, proposed capital projects that have any reference to fitness or sport are quickly bypassed.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology requires a much higher standard of health and fitness education than any K-12 district, community or technical college, or baccalaureate institution in the state of Washington. As a research-based institution, they do not ignore the data.

Who takes responsibility for the state of health and disease prevention in Washington state?

At a time when fitness and health education requirements need to be strengthened, the Washington state Board of Education, as well as the House Education Committee, have taken steps to further cut the requirements to health and fitness education, essentially making it a student choice (Core 24) or school district choice (House Bill 1025).

Educational leaders and their legislative counterparts have a thorough knowledge of current national health statistics; however, they don’t seem to fully grasp the implications. Studies indicate that every dollar spent on health education and prevention is $5 saved in health care and treatment.

America has become a “treatment-oriented” society, which is why our legislative leaders grapple daily with rising health care affordability. Regardless of political preference, the numbers do not lie: Our fellow citizens are getting sicker and dying younger.

Never in our history has there been a greater need to develop a sense of appreciation and respect for lifetime wellness, to reduce health illiteracy, and provide our young people with the tools and skills necessary to prevent chronic disease.

Keith Snyder is a member of the health education facultyat Community Colleges of Spokane.