January 2014
January/2014
Volume/1 - Number/5
…This Issue…
Exercise and Learning
Toning the Body Sharpens the Mind
Curriculum and Instruction
Catching and Throwing
…Nutrition…
Soft Drinks Part II: Soda and Tooth Enamel
…Health…
Children and Weight Gain Part II
The New Theory
…Spotlight Unit…
Volleyball
…FYI…
Facts & Stats
…Milk…
The number one beverage of choice for children
5 and under
…61 and 83…
The percent of boys and girls respectively who
do not meet the minimum recommended 3
servings of milk
…Milk vs Soda…
Twenty years ago, a teen boy drank twice as
much milk compared to soda…Today that has
basically reversed.
…Coke…
The number selling soft drink in America with
17.2% of the market share.
…180,000…
Worldwide deaths link to sugary beverages.
American Heart Association’s Epidemiology
and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and
Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions
…Soda…
The number one source of calories in American
diets.
…140…
Number of calories per can of soda
…20…
Percent increase of a coronary incident
associated with the consumption of a single can
of regular (non diet) soda a day
Exercise and Learning: Toning the Body Sharpens the Mind
Adams, J. U. (2013, October 28). For kids, toning body may sharpen the mind. St. paul pioneer press, p. C3.
Does adding opportunities for physical activity during the school day boost kids' capacity
to learn? Can physical activity also help improve a child's academic performance? It is a
very consistent finding that physically fit kids do better in school, says James Sallis, a
professor of family and preventive medicine at the University of California at San Diego,
who has long worked on preventing childhood obesity.
A recent report from the Institute of Medicine asserts that children who are more active
show greater attention, have faster cognitive processing speed, and perform better on
standardized academic tests than children who are less active.
A strong body of research supports the link between physical fitness and test scores. In
one study, for example, nearly 2,000 California schoolchildren who were outside a
"healthy fitness zone" - a 12-year-old who took longer than 12 minutes to run a mile would
be outside that zone - scored lower on state standardized tests than those who were more
fit.
A similar study in Nebraska assessed the fitness of schoolchildren in a shuttle run, in
which kids run a back-and-forth lap in a set time (Pacer Test). The kids who performed
best on this test scored higher on both the math and reading portions of state standardized
exams.
Another study on memory and fitness, showed that less fit children performed poorer on
memory task performance tests.
The more important question is: Does adding opportunities for physical activity during the
school day boosts kids' capacity to learn? The evidence is mounting that physical activity
is even more beneficial than previously thought.
Curriculum and Instruction: Catching and Throwing
Catching and throwing are two skills that figure prominently among the physical education
activities prescribed for young children. It has been stated in research that one third to one
half of all the activities prescribed in textbooks and curricula guides involved games or
activities in which a ball is handled, caught or thrown. Think about it, sports such as
baseball, softball, basketball, football, low organized recess games (e.g., kickball and
wallball) and even soccer and hockey have some sort of catching and/or throwing. Most
games of American origin stress throwing and catching. The development of these
skills/abilities is very important, especially in elementary physical education. Overhand
throwing and catching are to elementary physical education as literacy and math are to
the classroom.
Free Tennis Lessons: Kids Ages 3-17
2014 Dates : January 11, 18, and 25, February 1, 15, and 22. February 8th there is going
to be a special day with the U of M. For more information go to www.innercitytennis.org
or call: 612-824-6099. Location: Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center 4005 Nicollet Ave. ;
Minneapolis, MN 55409
Nutrition: Soft Drinks Part II of II - Soda and Tooth Enamel
What children drink has an alarming effect on the development of dental cavities and oral health. Kids drink a lot of soda
daily, and this could have a huge effect on dental health. Soft drinks have emerged as one of the most significant dietary
sources of tooth decay, affecting people of all ages.
The problem with soda drinks is not only the amazing amount of sugar they contain, but also the corrosive elements in
them. Research on soda or acidulated carbonic beverages (ACBs) have shown that they can be harmful and corrosive to
dental enamel and can lead to significant enamel loss. The Center for Science in the Public has even petitioned the Food
and Drug Administration to place warning labels on soda about their potential tooth damaging effects.
It is the acid in soda that does most of the damage. Some of the common ingredients in sodas are malic, phosphoric,
carbonic, and the citric acids. These acids in soda eat at tooth enamel because they are corrosive and also because they
reduce the pH levels in the mouth. Tooth enamel begins to dissolve when the pH of plaque is reduced to less than 5.5.
Acids dissolve the tooth-strengthening minerals like calcium and phosphate on the tooth surface. Citric acid is the most
corrosive acid found in soft drinks. This is why the citric flavored sodas can be so harmful.
Clearly soda can have an impact on oral health. Maybe the conclusion is to make soda an occasional food rather than a
staple.
Health:
Children and Weight Gain/Obesity Part II - The New Theory
Taubes, G. (2012, May 14). The new obesity campaigns have it all wrong. Newsweek, 32-36.
The standard theory for overweightness and obesity is based on an energy imbalance. The number of calories consumed
needs to equal the number of calories expended. If both sides of the equation don’t balance out, over time overweightness
and obesity occur. If everyone would simply count their calories and exercise, both the adult and childhood obesity crisis
would go away.
Some experts are starting to blame the obesity issue on not the lack of exercise and extreme calorie consumption, but on
the type of food being consumed, in particular refined sugars and grains. The science behind this new theory is that
refined sugars, grains (breads and pasta) and starchy foods like potatoes are the culprit causing obesity. These foods are
key because of their effect on the hormone insulin, which regulates fat accumulation. Insulin controls how much fat is
stored in fat cells. The more insulin the more fat stored. Refined sugars and grains and starchy carbohydrates all increase
insulin production. So, obesity is not just consuming too many calories, but additionally consuming the wrong kind of
calories. Maybe the new approach needs to be to not only pay attention to the total number of calories being consumed,
but also to the sources of those calories. Exercise still needs to play a role. Movement is important not just for its role in
burning calories, but because of its body and mind connections and relationship to coronary health.
Spotlight Unit: Volleyball
Introduction: Volleyball requires agile, quick movements; good eye-hand coordination; hand and arm strength; and
mental alertness. Cardiorespiratory endurance is not important for beginners, but skilled players must be in good
condition. The hands, arms, and shoulders should be of good strength for sound volleyball play. Reaction time is
paramount in volleyball. The ball often travels at high speeds, and rapid responses are necessary. Players must learn to
get into a “striking” position early, must learn correct and legal striking mechanics, and must become skilled at using their
body as a rebounding instrument. This all adds up to make volleyball one of the most difficult team sports. Volleyball is
used to help teach the essential skill of striking. The skills of underhand and overhand serving and forearm passing are
emphasized. The biomotor fitness abilities of agility, strength, and flexibility are stressed throughout the unit. Care is
taken to provide developmentally appropriate skill drills and equipment. Balls that are lighter and softer than “official”
volleyballs are available to those children wishing to work with this more user-friendly equipment. Net heights are at an
adapted level to “fit” the shorter height of the children.
History: Volleyball was developed in 1895. It was created for businessmen who required a game that involved less
physical contact than basketball. Volleyball is a blend of baseball, basketball, handball, and tennis. Originally the net
was hung at 6 feet 6 inches. The first game was played in 1896. Official volleyball was designed in 1900. The skills of
“set” and “spike” were introduced in 1916. The US Volleyball Association or USA Volleyball was formed in 1928. It
became an Olympic sport in Tokyo in 1964 - The Association of Volleyball Professionals was formed in 1983.
Volleyball celebrated 100 years of existence in 1995. Beach volleyball became an Olympic sport in 1996.