By: Mollie Shannon

Children in the United States spend most of their time stationary sitting in classrooms, playing video games, watching TV or surfing the internet.  As the years have passed there have been continual changes in policy regarding physical education and nutrition in schools.  In America there is technically no federal law requiring schools to provide physical education.  As of 2012, all states, except Iowa, had their own standards for physical education.  However, most had not been revised for at least two years, and four have been the same since the ’90s. For the past decade or so, 40 percent of school districts in the U.S. have been reducing or eliminating recess to make more time in the schedule for academics, some schools are even being built without playgrounds.  With the recent drastic increases in child obesity, focus is being shifted to engaging children in physical activity.  The U.S. department of Health and Human Services recommends that adolescents ages 6-17 have at least 60 min of physical activity a day.  However, studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Protection have shown that less than half of high school students participated in the recommended amount of physical activity.  Balanced nutrition is also a part of a healthy life, and can reduce the risk for many different ailments and diseases.  Eating healthy has been linked to improved memory and other cognitive functions important for good performance in school.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with the USDA, are working to promote the removal of fast foods in schools and replace them with nutritious and appealing meals.Schools, in tandem with government agencies, are researching and looking for solutions to improve health in schools.