Comparison of a PE4LIFE Curriculum to a Traditional Physical Education Curriculum

Physical education (PE) is an important facet of today's middle school curriculum. However, curricula differ between instructors and schools and the optimal method has not been specifically defined. PE4Life is a new curriculum that encompasses a philosophy that offers opportunities for partnership with the community and emphasizes health-related physical fitness. The aim of this project was to determine the differences between a traditional PE and PE4Life curriculum for measures of physical fitness. PE-4L had a decrease in BMI over time, while PE-T had an increase in values. Flexibility was consistently better among the students in PE-4L school and improved more in both Year 1 and Year 2. PE-4L was more favorable on the health-related fitness outcomes when compared to PE-T. While further investigation is warranted, these results suggest that PE4Life's focus on health-related physical fitness may be more beneficial for increasing fitness than traditional physical education. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]