Obesity in the U.S. is high and on the rise. Some kids just don't want to exercise, and need encouragement. Others want to exercise, but don't get the chance. Physical Education (PE) should be required in high schools because of this. It would give kids a chance to get fit. The main reasons PE should be required throughout high school is: because exercise is good and provides many health benefits, it can help in other subjects, and lastly, PE provides a break from traditional “learning” classes, while still promoting beneficial effects for a student.
There are many health benefits of PE. It exposes students to new activities that they might not have tried otherwise. By trying new activities, it helps kids get stronger and gain better endurance while having fun. One third of kids in the U.S. are overweight, which can lead to type two diabetes or obesity. Physical activity helps lower these risks. PE can help the foundation of self discipline and good life long habits of keeping active. …show more content…
People that might disagree might say it takes away learning time, but without PE, it would be harder to teach kids important things. The increase in attention spans correlates with increased test scores and overall academic performance. Studies have shown that walking for even 20 minutes improves memory. More vigorous activity, which can be found in PE classes, produces a sharper brain, which is even more ready to learn.
The final reason PE should be required in high school is PE gives you a break from traditional “learning” classes like math or english and lets you run around. Additional benefits of PE include:
Teaching self discipline
Development of student responsibility for health and fitness
Influencing leadership, and cooperation with others
Providing a means to release tension and anxiety
Strengthening