Childhood Obesity Program Area

RWJF is committed to tackling one of the most urgent threats to the health of our children and families—childhood obesity. Our goal is to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015.

Physical Education and Student Activity

February 1, 2013 | Journal Article

A new policy was set in place in 2009, adopted by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) after audits revealed that the district was not enforcing physical education (PE) minute requirements.

District and School Physical Education Policies

February 1, 2013 | Journal Article

The association between PE polices at the district and school level, as well as the overall PE environment, and PE and recess time is addressed in this study.

A Survey of Physical Education Programs and Policies in Texas Schools

September 1, 2010 | Journal Article

Texas teachers are supportive of mandatory physical fitness testing but not all students are cooperating.

Physical Education and School Contextual Factors Relating to Students' Achievement and Cross-Grade Differences in Aerobic Fitness and Obesity

September 1, 2010 | Journal Article

Physical education programs and policies explain only some of the variance in fitness levels of Texas students socioeconomic status and community factors also are important.

Reflections on the Texas Youth Evaluation Project and Implications for the Future

September 1, 2010 | Journal Article

Kenneth Cooper, M.D., M.P.H., founder of the Cooper Institute, creator of the FITNESSGRAM® test battery, calls for quality physical education programs.

Los Angeles Attorneys: Physical Education is a Right, Not a Privilege

September 22, 2011 | Story

Winning Strategies in the Fight Against Childhood Obesity.

Active Education

November 8, 2007 | Issue Brief

Physical education, physical activity and academic performance.

Texas Senate Bill 19 (SB 19) Results

November 18, 2009 | Story

Those polled were aware of physical activity requirements and that students were exceeding the minimum state physical activity requirements.

New York Athletic Organization Creates Teachers' Kit to Get Kids Running

August 1, 2007 | Program Result

In 2006, staff of the New York Road Runners Foundation created two startup kits to enable teachers to start running programs in elementary and middle schools.

Padres Unidos Advocates for Recess Before Lunch

April 11, 2012 | Program Result

The Healthy Students, Healthy Minds project of Padres Unidos is working with Denver school board officials to implement a recess-before-lunch policy in all public schools, a schedule that gets kids to eat better and reduces discipline problems.