Less than one-third of children are engaging in sufficient physical activity during school hours, according to recent research findings. The study, which monitored 17,000 students wearing activity trackers, discovered that only 30% of pupils are meeting the recommended 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day while at school. Conducted by Bath University, the research focused on 165 primary schools in England and revealed that the size of the playground did not correlate with activity levels, challenging the common belief that more space leads to more exercise.
Additionally, the study involved tracking 2,300 teachers, revealing that teachers who were more physically active tended to have students who were also more active. This suggests that these teachers may be encouraging or facilitating increased physical activity among students.
Tim Hollingsworth, a professor of sport at the university and former chief executive of Sport England, emphasized the concerning implications of the study, stating that there is a failure in prioritizing the health and activity levels of children and young people. He stressed the importance of promoting physical activity throughout the school day beyond formal sports provision.
The research showed significant disparities in physical activity levels among schools, with some students averaging only eight minutes of MVPA while others exceeded 40 minutes. Boys generally displayed higher activity levels, but in 5% of schools, girls outperformed boys, indicating minimal gender-based differences in several other schools.
Lead author Georgina Wort highlighted the health and well-being impacts of the findings, underscoring the importance of providing meaningful movement opportunities for children within the school day. The study also pointed out health inequalities in physical activity during school hours, with disparities unlikely to be solely addressed by playground space.
Notably, children attending schools in economically disadvantaged areas engaged in 25 minutes less MVPA per week. Researchers suggested that staff leadership and school culture could be influencing the level of physical activity exhibited by students.
Co-author Professor Dylan Thompson suggested utilizing wearable technology to help teachers identify students in need of additional support and identify sedentary periods during the school week. Schools could benefit from sharing knowledge and best practices to enhance physical activity levels, fostering a collaborative approach to improving overall student health and well-being.