Mandatory PE classes
While there is evidence that mandatory physical education classes have education and health benefits for students, there is little information on the effectiveness of such programs for the learners. Mandatory PE classes do not result in overall improvements in fitness, strength, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility. Besides, compulsory PE classes do not result in positive spillovers in the classroom, including academic performance and increased attendance, among others. However, research shows that such a program reduces the number of students with obesity. It is essential to note that physical activity is one of the crucial determinants and components of health outcomes across the life span. In this regard, inadequate or lack of physical activities may increase the risk of various diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, anxiety, depression, heart disease, osteoporosis, and other illnesses. Research indicates that physical inactivity may contribute to high mortality rates due to obesity and other health-related issues. Health status is a fundamental determinant of educational achievement because it enhances social-psychological wellness. Mandatory PE classes affect cognitive processes and brain functions, something that may contribute to better performance and school; hence, students should attend physical education classes because of the significant impact it has on their health.
Background Information
Over the past 30 years, obesity prevalence among students and school-going children has been on the rise in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2016). The research findings show that there is an even higher risk of obesity and overweight increases among students from lower socioeconomic classes. Based on these facts, there is a need to implement public policy that seeks to address fitness activities, food, and other lifestyle choices. These policies aim to reduce negative externalities costs due to unhealthy lifestyles. Given that students take approximately 40 hours in school, public health policy seeks to encourage learners to adopt healthy habits across all learning institutions.
Moreover, mental illness remains a public health concern around the world. Mental illness is the leading contributor to disability more than heart disease and cancer among health conditions. According to the World Health Organization (2013), mental illness remains a serious health concern, especially for adolescents and young people aged between 11 and 16 years of age. The cohort faces emotional and behavioral disorders, which pose adverse effects on the broader society. You people are at risk of reduced well-being, happiness, academic performance, and life satisfaction due to mental illness. Mental well-being influences the ability of a person to develop a sense of self-acceptance and purpose. Mandatory PE classes are low-risk intervention aimed to prevent and treat mental disorders, thus improving the overall well-being of students.
Furthermore, mental well-being increases the self-esteem of students. In doing so, mandatory PE classes help solve problem such as depression that may affect students’ health and overall academic performance. Physical activities are vital in students’ life because of the correlation between mental health outcomes and such programs. In particular, physical education classes improve cognitive functioning of the body, something that helps reduce stress, depression, and anxiety. In other words, physical activities enhance students’ psychological well-being reflected through improved self-esteem, optimism, self-efficacy, happiness, and life satisfaction. Mandatory physical education classes will improve mental health outcomes in students. Such programs also aim to solve emotional, behavioral problems among learners. Given the widespread implementation of mandatory PE classes across many curriculums, this study aims to explore the impact of such physical activities on the students’ health.
Positive Impacts
Proponents of mandatory PE classes argue that physical activities are essential health determinants that improve students’ health status. They say that increased physical activities help improve memory, focus, and cognition among learners. School-based programs such as mandatory PE classes are vital elements of education because they influence the academic behaviors of students. As such, physical activities improve cognitive skills, attendance, and academic attitudes of learners due to improved health status; therefore, mandatory PE classes enhance academic performance.
Moreover, studies indicate that mandatory PE classes improve student health outcomes. Increased physical activities are an essential aspect that changes the health behavior of students throughout life. These programs help prevent obesity and other health conditions in schools.
Mandatory PE classes increase educational performance as well as the overall health outcomes in schools. The courses improve physical and psychological health and brain health because they influence cognition and development of students. PE contributes to the development of desirable health behaviors throughout the life span. Mandatory classes also prepare students and schools to perform health care services such as health education, screening, and immunizations to children. School-based health programs enable schools to control cases of obesity among students.
Depression and anxiety remain among the leading and salient issues among students. In the United States, depression affects millions of people, including students included. Across many schools and colleges, learners have expressed a feeling of inefficiency to perform their regular duties and assignments due to poor mental health and depression-related cases. Anxiety continues to increase among college and school students, with the majority of victims experiencing anxiety disorders. These statistics demonstrate that mental health remains a severe problem in colleges and schools. Anxiety and depression disorders result in suicide attempts and academic difficulties. Students with depression and anxiety often record diminished academic performance due to body malfunctioning. In most cases, young people may engage in substance abuse due to mental problems associated with depression and anxiety.
For this reason, behavioral-based interventions such as mandatory PE classes are effective in preventing early anxiety and depression in students. The ever-increasing number of students with mental health needs implies that schools and colleges should adopt evidence-based practices to treat depression and anxiety. Mental health problems result in stress, and physical activities help correct this psychological impairment. Sports and other physical activities enable students to cope with emotional imbalance, guilt, worry, depression, anger, and grief. In doing so, mandatory PE classes reduce the likelihood of students engaging in unhealthy behaviors such as eating unhealthy food and drinking alcohol. Physical activities reduce cases of insomnia among students. Mandatory PE classes serve as a social support system, giving students coping mechanisms to control stress, depression, and anxiety. In other words, PE programs enable students to address emotional problems while at school. Sporting activities within the school curriculum helps increase the social and protective opportunities against stress or unhealthy behaviors.
Moreover, physical activities improve the overall mental and social well-being of students. For instance, walking, cycling, and other forms of gaming can enhance psychological well-being. There is a strong relationship between exercise and students’ mental health because the workout reduces anxiety levels. Practices bring positive physiological changes because of maximal oxygen uptake. Training and moderate exercises help students reduce depression, stress, and anxiety feelings. Mandatory PE classes will improve students’ moods due to diminishing levels of depressive symptoms. In other words, these classes help boost the social and emotional well-being of learners.
Leisure activities enable students to improve their mental health. Exercises significantly reduce stress and academic frustration because they prepare to equip learners with cognitive and behavioral skills to manage stressors. Studies reveal that mandatory PE classes and practices can reduce anxiety levels among students. Nevertheless, curriculum designers should take into consideration the severity of depression when designing exercise programs aimed to boost students’ mental health status. Mandatory PE classes improve learner’s self-concept and esteem; things that help alleviate symptoms of anxiety. Physical activities bring psychological benefits needed to boost students’ mental health.
Unlike counseling, physical exercises prepare students to react to stressors without the intervention of third parties. Mandatory PE classes are psychotherapeutic interventions that address social withdrawal by boosting self-esteem. Practices are cost-effective alternatives that serve as psychotherapy in preventing depressive symptoms. Engaging in physical compulsory education classes reduces the likelihood of mental illness, such as clinical depression among students. Overall, these classes expose students to various aerobic activities intended to improve psychological well-being. Exercise improves physical fitness and cognitive functioning of students, enhancing their studies.
Mandatory physical education classes improve self-esteem and social interaction in schools. reducing social withdrawal, synonymous with depression, and anxiety. Limited engagement in physical activities exposes students to chronic health diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Studies reveal that students with severe mental conditions are overweight. Mandatory PE classes reduce the medication side effects of unfitness. It also reduces the risk of discrimination, social stigmatization, and psychological problems associated with overweight. Implementing these programs compel students to adhere to recommended exercise guidelines aimed to reduce sedentary behaviors and lifestyles that could cause depression and chronic diseases. Exercises significantly improve students’ mental health, reducing the risk of anxiety and other psychological symptoms.
Recommendations
From the above analysis, it is evident that physical activities can reduce depression among students. Therefore, schools and colleges should implement mandatory PE classes into their curriculum as part of an exercise program to help solve behavioral disturbances. Aerobic exercises will help students to reduce stress and mental depression by improving cholesterol and oxygen transportation. Mandatory physical activities serve as psychotherapy in boosting students’ mental health. However, there is a need for policymakers to follow strict guidelines on moderate physical programs per week to protect learners from a functional impairment, hypertension, depression, and heart disease. Mandatory PE classes will also focus on body mass and caloric intake, among other healthy lifestyle tips intended to reduce the ever-increasing cases of obesity in schools and colleges. Besides, these classes should focus on healthful behaviors and eating habits among students. They will help understanding exercise as behavior change designed to prevent health threats. Exercises should improve students’ attitudes toward healthy living.
Conclusion
Mandatory physical education classes are an essential tool that focuses on improving mental health. Exercise is a fundamental physical activity that serves as psychotherapy in treating anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal. In other words, mandatory PE classes are solution-based programs to boost mental health. Physical activities serve as a prescription for students with high risks of mental health concerns.
Moreover, these classes complement traditional methods of treating psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, and stress. Counselors should encourage schools and colleges to implement a holistic fitness approach that takes into consideration the students’ social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive perspectives. In doing so, they will emphasize mandatory PE classes as a treatment program for anxiety, stress, and depression aimed to improve students’ physical health. Such courses should also provide instructions and essential information on exercising and guidelines for physical activity. Further, mandatory PE classes should offer variety, enjoyable, and appropriate fitness lessons to motivate students to participate in such programs.