A meditation in which consideration is given to the past and future engagement of social science generally and critical physical education and sports scholarship in particular with various scientific debates, including the so-called ‘obesity epidemic’ and contemporary manifestations of biological determinism

References

• Aichroth , P. 2005 . “ Exercise and sports ” . In Panic nation: unpicking the myths we re told about food and health , Edited by: Feldman , S. and Marks , V. 261 – 268 . London : John Blake .
   Google Scholar
• Armour , K. M. 1999 . The case for a body-focus in education and physical education, Sport . Education and Society , 4 ( 1 ) : 5 – 15 .
   Google Scholar
• Boreham , C. and Riddoch , C. 2003 . “ Physical activity and health through the lifespan ” . In Perspectives on health and exercise , Edited by: McKenna , J. and Riddoch , C. 11 – 30 . Basingstoke : Palgrave .
   Google Scholar
• Brownell , K. D. and Horgen , K. B. 2004 . Food fight: the inside story of the food industry, America's obesity crisis, and what we can do about it , Chicago : Contemporary Books .
   Google Scholar
• Burrows , L. 2000 . Fictions, factions and frictions: constructing the ‘child’ in school physical education . Journal of Physical Education New Zealand , 33 ( 3 ) : 22 – 36 .
   Google Scholar
• Cameron , D. 2007 . The myth of Mars and Venus: do men and women really speak different languages? , Oxford : Oxford University Press .
   Google Scholar
• Carlsson , S. , Andersson , T. , Lichtenstein , P. , Michaëlsson , K. and Ahlbom , A. 2007 . Physical activity and mortality: is the association explained by genetic selection? . American Journal of Epidemiology , 166 ( 3 ) : 255 – 259 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Cawley , J. , Meyerhoefer , C. & Newhouse , D. 2006 Not your father's PE: obesity, exercise and the role of schools , Education Next , Fall , 60 66 .
   Google Scholar
• Cothran , D. J. , McCaughtry , N. , Kulinna , P. H. and Martin , J. 2006 . Top-down public health curricular change: the experience of physical education teachers in the United States . Journal of In-service Education , 32 ( 4 ) : 533 – 547 .
   Google Scholar
• Evans , J. 2003 . Physical education and health: a polemic or ‘let them eat cake!’ . European Physical Education Review , 9 ( 1 ) : 87 – 101 .
   Google Scholar
• Evans , J. , Rich , E. and Davies , B. 2004 . The emperor's new clothes: fat, thin, and overweight: the social fabrication of risk and ill health . Journal of Teaching in Physical Education , 23 ( 4 ) : 372 – 391 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Fine , C. 2010 . Delusions of gender: the real science behind sex differences , London : Icon Books .
   Google Scholar
• Fox , K. 1994 Understanding young people and their decisions about physical activity , The British Journal of Physical Education , Spring , 15 19 .
   Google Scholar
• Fuller , S. 1997 . Science , Buckingham : Open University Press .
   Google Scholar
• Fuller , S. 2000 . “ The coming biological challenge to social theory and practice ” . In For sociology: legacies and prospects , Edited by: Eldridge , J. , MacInnes , J. , Scott , S. , Warhurst , C. and Witz , A. 174 – 190 . Durham : Sociology Press .
   Google Scholar
• García , R. and Fenwick , C. 2009 . Social science, equal justice, and public health policy: lessons from Los Angeles . Journal of Public Health Policy , 30 ( S1 ) : S26 – S32 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Gard , M. 2008a . Producing little decision makers and goal setters in the age of the obesity crisis . Quest , 60 ( 4 ) : 488 – 502 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Gard , M. 2008b . “ Couch potatoes” and “wind-up dolls”? A critical assessment of the ethics of youth physical activity research ” . In Youth physical activity and sedentary behavior: challenges and solutions , Edited by: Smith , A. L. and Biddle , S. J. H. 115 – 138 . Champaign, IL : Human Kinetics .
   Google Scholar
• Gard , M. 2011 . The end of the obesity epidemic , London : Routledge .
   Google Scholar
• Gorwood , P. , Kipman , A. and Foulon , C. 2003 . The human genetics of anorexia nervosa . European Journal of Pharmacology , 480 ( 1–3 ) : 163 – 170 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Green , K. 2004 . Physical education, lifelong participation and'the couch potato society . Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy , 9 ( 1 ) : 73 – 86 .
   Google Scholar
• Harris , K. C. , Kuramoto , L. K. , Schulzer , M. and Retallack , J. E. 2009 . Effect of schoolbased physical activity interventions on body mass index in children: a meta-analysis . Canadian Medical Association Journal , 180 ( 7 ) : 719 – 726 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada 2005 Interventions related to obesity: a state of the evidence review Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada , Canada .
   Google Scholar
• Himberg , C. 2005 The great challenge for physical education . Teachers College Record , 11873. Available online at: http://www.tcrecord.org/PrintContent.asp?ContentID=11873 (accessed 18 August 2005) .
   Google Scholar
• Jordon-Young , R. 2010 . Brain storm: the flaws in the science of sex differences , Cambridge : Harvard University Press .
   Google Scholar
• Jutel , A. and Buetow , S. 2007 . A picture of health? Unmasking the role of appearance in health . Perspectives in Biology and Medicine , 50 ( 3 ) : 421 – 434 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Kirk , D. 2006 . The ‘obesity crisis’ and school physical education, Sport . Education and Society , 11 ( 2 ) : 121 – 133 .
   Google Scholar
• Kretchmar , R. S. 2008 . The increasing utility of elementary school physical education: a mixed blessing and unique challenge . The Elementary School Journal , 108 ( 3 ) : 161 – 170 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• LaVine , M. E. and Cortney , R. 2006 . Physical activity patterns of PETE majors: do they walk the talk? . Physical Educator , 63 ( 4 ) : 184 – 195 .
   Google Scholar
• Mallam , K. M. , Metcalf , B. S. , Kirkby , J. , Voss , L. D. and Wilkin , T. J. 2003 . Contribution of timetabled physical education to total physical activity in primary school children: cross sectional study . British Medical Journal , 327 ( 7415 ) : 592 – 593 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• McKenzie , T. and Kahan , D. 2004 . Impact of the surgeon general's report: through the eyes of physical education teacher educators . Journal of Teaching in Physical Education , 23 ( 4 ) : 300 – 317 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• McKenzie , T. L. , Marshall , S. J. , Sallis , J. F. and Conway , T. L. 2000 . Student activity levels, lesson context, and teacher behavior during middle school physical education . Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport , 71 ( 3 ) : 249 – 259 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• McLennan , J. 2004 . Obesity in children: tackling a growing problem . Australian Family Physician , 33 ( 1/2 ) : 33 – 36 .
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Miah , A. and Rich , E. 2006 . Genetic tests for ability?: talent identification and the value of an open future, Sport . Education and Society , 11 ( 3 ) : 259 – 273 .
   Google Scholar
• Mokdad , A. H. , Bowman , B. A. , Ford , E. S. , Vinicor , F. , Marks , J. S. and Koplan , J. P. 2001 . The continuing epidemics of obesity and diabetes in the United States . Journal of the American Medical Association , 286 ( 10 ) : 1195 – 1200 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Monaghan , L. F. 2008 . Men and the war on obesity: a sociological study , London : Routledge .
   Google Scholar
• Murray , S. 2008 . The ‘fat’ female body , Basingstoke : Palgrave Macmillan .
   Google Scholar
• Ogden , C. L. , Carroll , M. D. , Curtin , L. R. , Lamb , M. M. and Flegal , K. M. 2010 . Prevalence of high body mass index in US children and adolescents, 2007–2008 . Journal of the American Medical Association , 303 ( 3 ) : 242 – 249 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Ogden , C. L. , Carroll , M. D. and Flegal , K. M. 2008 . High Body Mass Index for age among US children and adolescents, 2003–2006 . Journal of the American Medical Association , 299 ( 20 ) : 2401 – 2405 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Pinker , S. 2002 . The blank slate: the modern denial of human nature , New York : Penguin Books .
   Google Scholar
• Robison , J. and Carrier , K. 2004 . The spirit and science of holistic health , Bloomington : AuthorHouse .
   Google Scholar
• Shell , E. R. 2002 . The hungry gene: the science of fat and the future of thin , New York : Atlantic Monthly Press .
   Google Scholar
• Simons-Morton , B. G. , Taylor , W. C. , Snider , S. A. and Huang , I. W. 1993 . The physical activity of fifth-grade students during physical education classes . American Journal of Public Health , 83 ( 2 ) : 262 – 264 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Simons-Morton , B. G. , Taylor , W. C. , Snider , S. A. , Huang , I. W. and Fulton , J. E. 1994 . Observed level of elementary and middle school children's physical activity during physical education classes . Preventive Medicine , 23 ( 4 ) : 437 – 441 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Tappe , M. and Burgeson , C. 2004 . Physical education: a cornerstone to physically active lifestyles . Journal of Teaching in Physical Education , 23 ( 4 ) : 281 – 299 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Thomas , H. 2006 . Obesity prevention programs for children and youth: why are their results so modest? . Health Education Research , 21 ( 6 ) : 783 – 795 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Thomas , K. T. 2004 . Riding to the rescue while holding on by a thread: physical activity in the schools . Quest , 56 ( 1 ) : 150 – 170 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Trost , S. 2006 Public health and physical education , in: D. Kirk , D. Macdonald & M. O'Sullivan Handbook of physical education London : Sage , 163 187 .
   Google Scholar
• Twisk , J. W. R. 2001 . Physical activity guidelines for children and adolescents: a critical review . Sports Medicine , 31 ( 8 ) : 617 – 627 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Vogel , S. 1999 . The skinny on fat: our obsession with weight control , New York : W. H. Freeman and Company .
   Google Scholar
• Westerståhl , M. , Barnekow-Bergkvist , M. , Hedbergand , G. and Jansson , E. 2003 . Secular trends in sports: participation and attitudes among adolescents in Sweden from 1974 to 1995 . Acta Paediatrica , 92 ( 5 ) : 602 – 609 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Wilkin , T. J. , Mallam , K. M. , Metcalf , B. S. , Jeffrey , A. N. and Voss , L. D. 2006 . Variation in physical activity lies with the child, not his environment: evidence for an ‘activitystat’ in young children (EarlyBird 16) . International Journal of Obesity , 30 ( 7 ) : 1050 – 1055 .
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Wilson , E. O. 1998 . Consilience: the unity of knowledge , New York : Vintage Books .
   Google Scholar
• Wright , J. and Burrows , L. 2004 . Being healthy”: the discursive construction of health in New Zealand children's responses to the National Education Monitoring Project . Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education , 25 ( 2 ) : 211 – 230 .
   Google Scholar
• Zanker , C. and Gard , M. 2008 . Fatness, fitness and the moral universe of sport and physical activity . Sociology of Sport Journal , 25 ( 1 ) : 48 – 65 .
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar