Participation of high school students in school physical education--United States, 1990.

Regular physical activity increases a person's ability to perform daily activities with greater vigor and may reduce the risk for specific health problems, including coronary heart disease (1), hypertension (2), noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (3), colon cancer (4), and depression (5), as well as lower all-cause death rates (6). In addition to extracurricular activities (e.g., sports and recreational organizations), high school physical education (PE) classes provide an opportunity to ensure a minimal, regular amount of desirable physical activity and help establish physical activity patterns that may extend into adulthood. This report examines the prevalence of self-reported enrollment, attendance, and participation in PE classes by students in grades 9-12.