Recess! One of the most anticipated and desired words for grade school children to hear. Then kids spring from sitting and learning into shooting bullets pelting through the doors into the great outdoors, for a game of capture the flag, swing set underdogs, or jungle gym expeditions. As the school years climb, recess is uttered fewer times throughout the day, and eventually when a high school free period is given it is spent lazing in the summer sun, or lounging in cafeteria chairs. Eventually all that comes after a long work day is the desire to veg out in front of the TV, gym shoes dormant in the gym bag. What Happened? Where did all that youthful energy go?
According to Dr. Oz children have a combination of less free radical damage, more sleep accumulation, and a brand new world in need of exploration. (Drs. Oz & Roizen: Energy Fact and Fiction The Truth About Your Lagging Energy Level) Others tout the effects of cultural expectations and the weight of the world. Therefore the gradual loss of energy is probably due to a combination of these factors.
Of the vast number of things that effect energy levels, a primary physiological target would be to look at the energy currency of the cell; ATP, and what regulates its production. Mitochondria, the energy house of the cell, are the primary producers of ATP especially the mitochondrial electron transport chain, which sets up a proton gradient through the transfer of electrons down a intramembranous chain, the final electron acceptor being oxygen. The addition of an electron to Oxygen can be dangerous, a Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is created from the single addition of an electron to oxygen, creating a free radical chain initiation. ROS are known to cause molecular compartment damage, oxidative deterioration of DNA , lipids and proteins. As mitochondria are the primary producers of ROS it is believed that they are also preferentially effected, causing deterioration in the efficiency of the oxidative pathway. Over time free radical damage would accumulate, and the bodies clean up/repair mechanisms and antioxidant pathways will eventually let mistakes slip by. So as time passes and toddlers become teenagers the free radical effects would lead to a lessened production of ATP, causing the slow effects of aging and leading to the couch potato syndrome.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3184498/?tool=pubmed
J Signal Transduct. 2012; 2012: 646354. Published online 2011 October 2. doi: 10.1155/2012/646354
Of the vast number of things that effect energy levels, a primary physiological target would be to look at the energy currency of the cell; ATP, and what regulates its production. Mitochondria, the energy house of the cell, are the primary producers of ATP especially the mitochondrial electron transport chain, which sets up a proton gradient through the transfer of electrons down a intramembranous chain, the final electron acceptor being oxygen. The addition of an electron to Oxygen can be dangerous, a Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is created from the single addition of an electron to oxygen, creating a free radical chain initiation. ROS are known to cause molecular compartment damage, oxidative deterioration of DNA , lipids and proteins. As mitochondria are the primary producers of ROS it is believed that they are also preferentially effected, causing deterioration in the efficiency of the oxidative pathway. Over time free radical damage would accumulate, and the bodies clean up/repair mechanisms and antioxidant pathways will eventually let mistakes slip by. So as time passes and toddlers become teenagers the free radical effects would lead to a lessened production of ATP, causing the slow effects of aging and leading to the couch potato syndrome.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3184498/?tool=pubmed
J Signal Transduct. 2012; 2012: 646354. Published online 2011 October 2. doi: 10.1155/2012/646354
I agree with the notion that recess is essential, but it is forced upon students. Students are not opposed to taking a break from what they are doing, but it is scheduled. I think once you matriculate into middle school and high school, recess is often termed physical education. I know in my schools, physical education was required and we went outside. I know recess is different in that you can go and swing on the swings, or play tether ball, but physical education; you are required to do certain activities. For me, I did not mind, but I know some people they chose not to participate or do minimal work.
ReplyDeleteI think recess has to be terminated in middle school and high school to give students more of a structured environment and also to educate them about their bodies and how to take care of it. There was an article on the internet about how recess improves classroom behavior and it suggests a daily break of 15 minutes or more improves learning, social development, and health in elementary school children (1). I believe this is also the case in the middle school and high school because they often give ten minute breaks for you to get to class as well as have physical education classes.
I also believe that recess is terminated by the time we reach middle school because most of your social development has already occurred. “According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, free, unstructured play is essential for keeping children healthy, and for helping them reach important social, emotional, and cognitive developmental milestones” (1). As we discussed in a previous seminar lecture exercise helps increase cognitive thinking as well as decrease stress. I think if they were to have recess in middle school and high school now, students would often sit and socialize and so to counteract that, they implemented physical education. As with age, you have decisions to make your life and your health. We may have “lessened production of ATP,” but we must fight the urge to sit around and be more active.
References:
1: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090126173835.htm
Barros et al. School Recess and Group Classroom Behavior. Pediatrics, Feb 1, 2009; 123 (2): 431 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2007-2825
In response to the previous comment, I agree with most of the observations but disagree with the idea that most of our social development is complete by the time middle school is reached. I think children, teens, and young adults are continuously developing social skills - I'd hate to still be as awkward and socially unaware as I was in middle school. I don't believe that is a major factor in eliminating recess from the school day. More likely, it is that energy is more effectively harnessed in young teens than in elementary kids, and thus school districts can pack more learning into the school day at the expense of physical activity. PE should definitely be included in the school day at every age.
ReplyDeleteOn a different note, was this study implying that oxidative damage is a major factor in our decreasing physical activity as we age? If so, those reactive oxygen species must wreak more havoc on our bodies than the general public knows about. I also think that attitude has a lot do with the desire to be more active as younger children. As Dr. Oz said, the world has much to offer and has yet to be explored at an elementary school age. My brother recently told me that he was exercising using the popular Insanity workout a few weeks ago. While he was really struggling and wanting to give up mid-workout, his 3 year old nephew was doing most of the moves alongside him while giggling and laughing - he couldn't get enough of those "fun" moves. His nephew had no idea that what he was doing was supposed to be work. Similarly, kids relish the idea of getting to play and move around, while with increasing age this desire decreases. I agree that this change must be the result of the many factors mentioned in the article.