Less Than one-Third of Public School Students in the “Zone”

Only 31 percent of Fifth, Seventh and Ninth Graders posted healthy scores in all six areas of the state’s latest Physical Fitness Test, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced November 30.

Joined at a press conference at Grossmont High School in El Cajon by former NBA all-star Bill Walton, Torlakson urged students to make healthier choices.

 “Today’s results are clear. When only 31 percent of children are physically fit, that’s a public health challenge we can’t wait to address,” Torlakson said in a statement.

The 2011 Physical Fitness Test was administered to 1.3 million students representing 93 percent of Fifth, Seventh, and Ninth Graders.

Students want to land in the “Healthy Fitness Zone,” a term copyrighted by The Cooper Institute.

To be within the zone, a 5’ 6” 150-pound, 15-year-old  9^th Grade male must run a mile within nine minutes, perform at least 16 push-ups, and do at least 24 curl-ups.

The results show 34.1 percent of Grade Five students, 30.3 percent of Grade Seven students, and 25 percent of Grade Nine students are “High Risk,” the worst  category.

And the situation isn’t getting better:

In the six areas of physical fitness tested, 25.2 percent of Fifth Graders were in the Healthy Fitness Zone compared to 29 percent in 2010.

Thirty-two percent of Seventh Graders were in the zone compared to 35 percent last year.

And 36.8 percent of Grade Nine students were in the fitness zone compared to 38.7 percent in 2010.

Results can be viewed by school.

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