Number of kids having heart attacks grows as PE class minutes shrink....

The neck arteries of obese children and teens look more like those of 45-year-olds, according to research presented recently at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions. This fatty buildup of plaque within arteries feeding the brain can lead to heart attack and stroke. Considering that one in three kids in the U.S. is overweight or obese, this is an issue we all need to be concerned about. Regular physical activity is critical to ensuring a brighter, healthier future for our children and our country.

American children have increasingly fewer opportunities to be physically active at school because quality physical education (PE) classes have suffered from the budget axe. The American Heart Association is pursuing PE policies throughout the country. At the federal level, we are advocating for the enactment of the Fitness Integrated with Teaching (FIT) Kids Act. The FIT Kids Act would provide children’s fitness data to their parents and their communities so that they can make informed decisions on the investment they want to make in the quantity and quality of PE offered in their schools.

For more information, please visit www.fitkidsact.org.