The State - News from April 13, 1987

A Fresno State University researcher is conducting a statewide physical fitness study of 1 million school children. He believes that their physical fitness is not as good as that of their counterparts of two decades ago. The study, financed by a $133,000 grant from the state Department of Education, will test students’ knowledge of physical fitness and health matters, in addition to comparing students’ skills at doing sit-ups, pull-ups and other muscle, coordination and endurance tests. Professor Richard Francis, who is in charge of the project, cited a National Children and Youth Fitness report revealing that children in grades five through 12 now have significantly more body fat than did students of 20 years ago.