Four out of five of Georgia's school children cannot perform basic physical tasks that indicate a healthy level of fitness, according to a report from the Georgia Department of Education.

Nearly one million children were evaluated on five areas of health-related fitness -- aerobic capacity, Body Mass Index (BMI), muscle strength, endurance and flexibility -- using the FitnessGram, part of Georgia SHAPE, Gov. Nathan Deal's anti-childhood obesity initiative.

Twenty percent of the children's scores didn't fall in the healthy fitness ranges in any of the areas. Eighty four percent of those tested passed some but not all portions of the FitnessGram. Only 16 percent passed all five parts of the test.

The assessment, conducted in the spring of 2012, was the first statewide fitness evaluation since Georgia SHAPE was launched in 2009. The report included data on 67 percent of the state's students in first to 12th grade from all 182 school districts.

Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) Commissioner Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald called the numbers "troubling" at last week's Board of Public Health meeting.

"I've been talking with our Georgia SHAPE partners and we all agree these statistics are a call to action," Fitzgerald said.

Led by the Governor's Office and DPH, Georgia SHAPE has been working to turn the tide of childhood obesity for the state's kids, more than 40 percent of whom are overweight or obese.

Beyond measuring fitness outcomes, SHAPE also focuses on promoting opportunities for fitness and healthy eating among Georgia's children and their families. The SHAPE website, www.georgiashape.org, helps Georgians locate fitness resources and opportunities in their area, and keeps a calendar of healthy events around the state, such as 5K races and farmers markets. The initiative also promotes other behaviors, such as breastfeeding, that have been linked to healthy weight. And the initiative is growing.

Georgia SHAPE partners -- now totaling about 49 -- have been meeting regularly, exchanging ideas and working on plans to expand the program.

Partners include the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, the Atlanta Braves Foundation, the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

For more information on Georgia SHAPE, visit the program's website, www.georgiashape.org.

-Story by DPH Communications