title: Participation of high school students in school physical education--United States, 1990.
abstract: Regular physical activity increases a person's ability to perform daily activities with greater vigor and may reduce the risk for specific health problems, including coronary heart disease (1), hypertension (2), noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (3), colon cancer (4), and depression (5), as well as lower all-cause death rates (6). In addition to extracurricular activities (e.g., sports and recreational organizations), high school physical education (PE) classes provide an opportunity to ensure a minimal, regular amount of desirable physical activity and help establish physical activity patterns that may extend into adulthood. This report examines the prevalence of self-reported enrollment, attendance, and participation in PE classes by students in grades 9-12.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D012574:Schools; D014481:United States