source 3: bring back the outdoor fun

Jay Heinrichs is the editorial director of Rodale's sports and fitness magazines. He wrote the article titled, "The number of overweight American Children has more than triples in the last 40 years. Our soulution: Bring back the outdoor fun", goes over the reasons why we should be concerned. Starting off, Jay explains his return to his former elementary school in Philidelphia. The difference in the amout of children outside playing compared to the 1960's was amazing to him. The schoolyard was the same, yet there were no kids out playing. Jay believes this is because of all the technology that children spend time with now. Continuing on, the article shares numbers on the amout of children today that are obese, and then explains the health risks associated with being obese. Portion sizes are growing, while exercise is declining- those are the reasons why Jay believes children are becoming obese. Finally, he points out that parents and adults need to provide safe play areas for their children, so they can get some exercise while they play.
This article was found on the Wilson Web. It comes from a magazine, and has been reproduced with permission from the origional source. I feel the author, Jay Heinrichs, is a pretty reputable source because he is the editor director for a sports and fitness magazine. He has experience in the topic of fitness and health, but also gives facts from other sources that have a more professional view on the topic. This article was published in 2003, so it is fairly up to date. The publication information is not geographically listed, however, the article focuses on Cooperstown Elementary located in Philidelphia, for examples. There is no obvious political bias, but Jay may have a bias on the culture of Americans. He shows how our portion sizes have increased and our activities have decreased, due to the electronic games. Some sources that are mentioned in the article include: Cooperstown Elementary, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and a researcher at the University of North Carolina. Primary research is used, mostly coming from facts, research studies, and Jay's own personal observations. The intended audience is parents and children. Main points of this article include: The amout of kids that play outside; The problems caused by obesity; The American diet and sedentary lifestyles; and The importance of providing a safe place for kids to play. Some of the facts I read include: The amount of obese children has more than tripled in the last 2 decades; Life expentancy will drop by 20years in children that are obese; Portion sizes have risen 52% since 1977; Teens are 13% less active today than in 1980; and The number of kids in a physical education class has dropped from 42% to only 29% of students in the past decade alone. A few opinions were that kids are at home having virtual fun inside, and that building playgrounds will improve the obesity rate umong children. Some information left out of the article are the topics of recess at school, and how much a school should get involved in the prevention of obesity. There is only one point of view in this article, but the author also gives evidence that supports his view. Questions that I still have on the topic are: Why are children not required to take a gym class? and What are schools doing to help prevent obesity in their students?