The Impact that Physical Education Can Have on Encouraging Young People to Engage in Physical Activity

One of the definitions of Physical Education is; ‘regular instruction in physical exercise and games in schools and other institutions’ (Oxford English Dictionary). It is compulsory in the UK for every child up to the age of 16. Physical Education has been adapted immensely to fit the needs of young people and is still continuing to change. There are an increasing number of young people leading sedentary lifestyles by watching television instead of doing physical activity (British Heart Foundation, 2012). In this essay, ideas have been challenged and there is a distinct argument about the impact that PE can have on encouraging young people to engage in physical activity.

Physical Education teaches life skills which can be adopted to reduce the likelihood of developing a major illness such as heart diseases, diabetes and strokes. Its benefits aren’t only limited to only physical but also mental. Physical activity releases dopamine into the limbic structures in the brain which is a major part of the brain for emotional response. This can alleviate depression and other mental health problems (Marta et al, 2010). Physical Education is important as it teaches us the fundamental skills that are necessary to continue a healthy active lifestyle. It teaches about diet, creating exercise plans, rules of sports and teaches us qualities such as leadership and teamwork. The benefit to health is what persuades many young people to take part in life-long physical activity. Physical Education has developed significantly over hundreds of years from developing games in the 19th Century Public schools to professionalism. From 1902 the types of activities and recommendations have changed dramatically. The 1902 Model Course saw the introduction of mi...

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...thout presenting evidence. I stated that physical education was prejudicing against minority groups which, after research, I found not to be true. I also had no research to strengthen my argument that lower classes may not participate in physical education as much as the bourgeoisie due to paying for travel, kit, fees, etc. Instead, I found a research paper which was extremely helpful in supporting my statement. Moreover, I found a quote from the research paper that I included in my essay but had to adapt slightly so that it made sense.

In my feedback, I was told that my referencing was generally good but I made some mistakes such as not putting them in alphabetical order and not having the name of the paper/book in italics to which I changed so that it was fitting of the Harvard style referencing. Another criticism was to have page numbers to which I have changed.