Recently during recess at Holden Elementary School, two teachers were selling Popsicles to pupils during an unseasonably warm afternoon. A lot of the pupils in the lines, that contained some 100 children and took up close to half the recess, were obviously struggling with childhood obesity. But if they were lucky enough to have the 25 cents, they were handed a sweet “treat” – 60 instant calories of sugar water.

In isolation the selling of Popsicles during recess for a school cause may not seem like a big deal. But it is when taken in the context of the Holden and other schools’ continued ignorance when it comes to childhood obesity.

Children starting at the age of 5 are in school all day with precious little time to do what they do best: get up and move. They receive gym class only weekly. By 9, their recess time is reduced to once a day. Regularly pupils are told they have to stay in for recess to catch up on assignments because of behavioral issues, or for additional assessment. If this isn’t enough, the trend locally and nationally is to reduce recess and PE time further.

What can it hurt to make kids learn more and move less? As an occupational therapist who has worked with children, the cost of our continued ignorance is becoming alarmingly apparent. Young children with neck and back injuries are coming to local clinics more frequently. Overwhelming numbers of young boys labeled with attention deficit disorder are given “medicine” because in part they are unable to sit all day to meet the demands of the growing trend to read and test at a younger and younger age.

This is not to mention the approaching tidal wave of pending health problems: heart attacks, disabling strokes, certain types of cancer and chronic diabetes related amputations, and blindness. In my job I see on a very personal basis the crisis to patients and families these diseases cause. Obesity also affects all of us when it comes to skyrocketing health care and insurance costs.

The Centers for Disease Control recommends at least 60 minutes of activity a day for children and discourages stretches of inactivity between two and four hours. On a good day pupils get 45 minutes of recess, and less once they reach the age of 9. Two-hour stretches of sit-and-learn time, without PE or recess, is common.

What can be done to make things better? The use of sweets in the school during recess, or as a reward, needs to stop. Recess time needs to be considered sacred ground and never interrupted unless in extreme cases. Get up and move time isn’t as important as reading, writing and arithmetic anymore – it’s more important. Furthermore, why not take a proactive approach to the problem like other schools in Maine and increase recess and PE time? In addition, why not make proper nutrition education, including the dangers of using food as a reward, a priority for both pupils and teachers? Why not use extra gym time like others nationally and teach children lifelong physical activities, such as power walking, dancing and the use of pedometers?

In conclusion, all of us, administrators, teachers and parents, need to come together to address the crisis. If not, it is said our children may become the first generation to not outlive their parents. As a father of a 7-year-old boy, I can only pray this is not the case. But I’m afraid our continued ignorance of this pending national epidemic is only making it an increasing reality.

Cavenaugh Kelly is an occupational therapist who resides in Holden.