March 18th, 2009

Reports the Patriot-News:

Faced with the prospect that today’s children will likely have a shorter life expectancy than their parents, the State Board of Education has started a conversation around student health and wellness issues.

Where this leads has yet to be determined, but state board Chairman Joseph Torsella said with reports like one from the state Department of Health statistics showing 1 in 3 students are at risk of being overweight or obese, “it suggests that this needs some attention in Pennsylvania.”

…

One legislative proposal that had piqued Torsella’s interest would require students in kindergarten through fifth grade to have 150 minutes of physical education each week. That weekly requirement would jump to 225 minutes for students in sixth through eighth grade under the bill, sponsored by Rep. Angel Cruz, D-Philadelphia.

Torsella said he expects the state board to examine the health and wellness issue over the next several months and come up with policy recommendations by the year’s end. Tuesday’s discussion was the starting point.

Read more at the Patriot-News.