Health expert visits IU faculty

Thom McKenzie, who has done extensive research on childhood obesity as well as other aspects of adolescent physical activity, spoke to a room full of IU faculty members Thursday. The faculty actively sought to bring McKenzie to IU because of his status as an Alliance Scholar and as the person chosen as top researcher of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, a professional organization.\n"They wanted to learn more about long-scale research," McKenzie said. "So (the presentation) was directed toward educating people about large-scale-based physical activity."\nMcKenzie has conducted four large-scale studies on this issue over the course of four to seven years.\n"We're interested in some of the same questions about children's physical activity and how we may increase their physical activity because of the tremendous increase in childhood obesity," said David Gallahue, associate dean of the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.\nMcKenzie calls for maintaining facilities in which physical activity takes place, for "community and school collaboration," as well as calling attention to the importance of physical education -- especially for adolescent girls who tend to be socialized out of physical activity at a faster rate than boys as they age.\n"There are lots of activity facilities," McKenzie said. "But they're vacant most of the time. Mostly it's supervision. Once you get to high school most of the attention or activities are designed for elite performers." \nThose instrumental in bringing McKenzie to campus seemed pleased with the event.\n"He's conducted an enormous amount of research, so he has a good, sound basis for making recommendations on physical activity interventions," said Alyce Fly, associate professor in applied science.