Essentials Magazine Essentials Fall 2017

Learning Environments replaces physical activi- not just exercise ty. This familiar “sit and get” model of education doesn’t serve today’s learners, physically or It’s a common misconception that only exercise, (i.e., moderate to vigorous physical activity like recess or PE class) and a healthy mentally. diet is what keeps kids healthy. The greatest gains in bone mass occur just before and during puberty, with peak mass obtained This is where taking by the end of adolescence. As the threat of PE classes being eradicated increases, physical activity interventions among school age children and young adults grow in importance. a fresh look at classroom furniture comes into discussion. One option? Replacing stationary desks with mobile sit- stand desks. Through regular sit-stand motion throughout the class day, students achieve this non-disruptive, low-lev- el physical activity that counteracts the nega- tives of sitting. Students have greater metabolic health, including higher heart rate and greater oxygen and nutrient transport. They also burn more calories and _ 1.5 < 3-7 >7 1.5-3 METS METS METS METS maintain insulin effec- tiveness. This is a key step SEDENTARY LOW-LEVEL MODERATE VIGOROUS in establishing health- PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Sitting or lying down PHYSICAL PHYSICAL ier habits earlier in TV viewing Standing during class or ACTIVITY ACTIVITY using a computer classroom actitivies life. With more than reading Hiking Participating in activities cleaning your room drawing skateboarding that include running walking the dog one-third (35.1%) of roller-blading joining the soccer team standing and painting riding bicycle playing tag at recess adults over the age of brisk walking 20 in the United States classified as obese, What is a MET? educators, not employ- NON-EXERCISE EXERCISE ers, play a key role in combatting this trend before students even MOVEMENT MATTERS FOR KIDS enter the workforce. Research shows a positive correlation between physical activity and test scores—low-level Researchers have physical activity impacts learning.* Building active classrooms is one way to incorporate physical activity interventions into students' everyday lives. found that integrating sit-stand furniture into *Institute of Medicine, 2013 (further reading) | Centers for Disease Control & Prevention the classroom leads to greater classroom engagement, on-task behavior and greater For more information how movement can improve kid’s health and performance, visit www.juststand.org/school or visit Education.ergotron.com. academic performance. If you're interested in exploring ergonomic products that promote movement-friendly work environments, visit www.ergotron.com. www.ergotron.com Students regularly im- prove on regular assess- ments like quizzes and “You feel more energetic and you High School in Houston, Texas. tests, as well as full-year learning evalu- pay much better attention when you’re Physical activity doesn’t have to just ations that measure overall progress, standing up,” said Jose, a ninth grader come from an elective physical educa- and students notice the difference. at Dr. Kirk Lewis Career & Technical tion class. Instead, students can remain WHY MOVEMENT MATTERS TO CHILDREN & ADOLESCENTS’ HEALTH The term MET refers to “metabolic equivalent”, a unit used to estimate the metabolic cost of physical activity. The value of 1 MET is approximately equal to a person’s resting energy expenditure. essentials | www.edmarket.org 21

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