Physical Education and Health: a Polemic or ëLet Them Eat Cake!í

Abstract

In recent years, teachers in the UK and elsewhere have been encouraged to include 'health aims' as part of the physical education curriculum. The widely reported worldwide 'rising tide of obesity' has been a major motivating concern. This article looks critically at 'obesity research', offers a way of reading it and suggests that many of its claims are at best over-exaggerated, at worst unfounded and, ironically, if translated uncritically in schools could damage the educational interests and health of children and young people. The article calls on those engaged in health and physical education to take a more cautious and critical attitude towards the obesity literature in the interests of preserving not only the educational aspirations of PE but also the health of young people.

‘Every child (of every size) matters’ in physical education! Physical education's role in childhood obesity

“…Evans, 2003;Gard, 2004b;Gard & Wright, 2005;Kirk, 2006;Evans, 2007;Evans, Rich & Davies;Wright & Dean, 2007;Evans et al, 2008;Evans & Rich, 2011). Given the breadth of this paper it is not possible to explore these concerns in detail here, and indeed they are documented fully elsewhere, but they are clearly important to recognise and to briefly summarise.…”

“…A number of researchers (e.g. Evans, 2003;Evans, Rich & Davies, 2004;Gard, 2004a;Campos et al, 2006;Marsh, 2006;Evans et al, 2008;Evans & Rich, 2011) have questioned or refuted reported obesity figures and predictions, claiming that they are exaggerated, sensationalized, misreported and even meaningless and shallow. For example, based on an analysis of data for the period 1995 to , Marsh (2006 reported no statistically significant increase in average BMI for boys aged 5-15 and a generally similar picture for girls.…”

“…This measure is acknowledged to be 'crude', thoroughly imprecise, and a poor measure for children and adolescents in particular (Evans, 2003;Evans, Rich & Davies, 2004;Evans et al, 2008). As BMI is based on weight and height, it does not discriminate between fat and fat free (or lean) mass which can lead to the misclassification of some individuals (e.g.…”

‘Fat Ethics’ – The Obesity Discourse and Body Politics

“…Moreover, as will be revealed, these 'facts' are routinely issued with authority and conviction despite there being very few, if any, certainties to be found in the primary research on obesity (see Gard and Wright, 2001). Indeed, the relationships between obesity and health are far more tenuous, complex and contradictory than the 'obesity epidemic' discourse would have us believe (see, Evans, 2003;Gard and Wright, 2001;Flegal, 1999). There is a great deal we do not know about obesity, weight and its effect on health (see European Youth Heart Study Symposium, 2005).…”

“…The central concern here is the placing of moral responsibility on the individual to have a good diet and make certain 'lifestyle' choices around physical activity. By designating certain behaviours (around food and exercise) as either 'good', 'bad' or 'risky', obesity discourse is instrumental in manufacturing a public 'health scare' (see Evans, 2003;Gard and Wright, 2001). It creates a 'moral panic' about the state of an individual's or a nation's health and the choices they are to make to rectify it.…”