According to a new bill signed Thursday by Florida's Governor Charlie Crist, all elementary school students must have at least a half-hour of physical education each day. The new measure is introduced to help uproot childhood obesity and related health problems in young children.

The requirement, which takes effect with the new school year in August, follows a discovery by a state task force in 2003 that lack of poor exercise and nutrition habits has put millions of school children at risk for juvenile diabetes and other ailments.

"Having a good quality of life and good cross-section of education that addresses the mind, the body and the soul is very important. With the PE bill, we get to that," AP quotes Crist as saying.

According to the new bill, it is mandatory for each school to practice at least 2 1/2 hours of physical education each week for students between kindergarten and fifth grade. Middle and high schools are encouraged to provide up to 3 3/4 hours of gym class weekly.

Additionally, the health conscious governor is also hoping to introduce mandatory gym classes through 12th grade by 2012 and hopes to get state funds to help schools purchase necessary exercise equipment.