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Evidence summaries

School-Based Programs for Promoting Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents

Physical activity promotion in schools may have positive effects on lifestyle behaviours and physical health status measures. Level of evidence: "C"

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 44 studies with 36 593 subjects. Duration of interventions ranged from 12 weeks to six years. There was some evidence to suggest that school-based physical activity interventions led to an improvement in the proportion of children who engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity during school hours (odds ratio (OR) 2.74, 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.01 to 3.75). Children and adolescents exposed to the intervention also spent more time engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity (with results across studies ranging from five to 45 min more), spent less time watching television (results range from five to 60 min less per day), and had improved VO2max (results across studies ranged from 1.6 to 3.7 mL/kg per min).

    References

    • Dobbins M, Husson H, DeCorby K et al. School-based physical activity programs for promoting physical activity and fitness in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2013;(2):CD007651. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords