Physical Activity at School

RWJF Priority: Increase the time, intensity and duration of physical activity during the school day and out-of-school programs

Schools play a critical role in helping children lead active, healthy lives. By requiring active participation in daily physical education classes, providing activity breaks throughout the day, and supporting walking and bicycling to school, schools can increase students’ physical activity. After-school programs located in schools, parks and recreational centers also can develop innovative ways to help children be active.

The resources below, from RWJF grantees and partners, highlight recent efforts to examine and develop programs and policies that help children be active before, during and after the school day.

Childhood Obesity Policy Priorities

Featured

Kids Get Moving with Playworks

During recess, students at schools participating in the Playworks program engaged more physical activity that was, on average, more intense.

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From the New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids

Creating a Healthy Place for Kids in Trenton, NJ

"A long time coming." The New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids helped make Monument Elementary School in Trenton a healthier place for students by leading efforts to build a new playground and install a salad bar in the cafeteria.

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From Active Living Research

Study: P.E. Could Mean 23 More Minutes of Physical Activity for Kids

Requiring daily physical education in school could help young people be active for 23 minutes per day, which is more than a third of the total amount of daily physical activity experts recommend for young people.

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From Active Living Research

Do Short Physical Activity Breaks in Classrooms Work?

Providing short physical activity breaks during the school day can increase physical activity in students, help improve on-task behavior, and improve some measures of health.

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From the Alliance for a Healthier Generation

Terence C. Reilly School No. 7: Healthy Schools Program Gold National Recognition Award Winner

Principal Jennifer Cedeno chalks up her students' attention spans—and their academic performance—to an innovative physical activity and nutrition program.

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From Active Living Research

Policies and Standards for Promoting Physical Activity in After-School Programs

After-school programs can contribute to children’s overall daily physical activity, but their potential impact is far from being realized. This brief examines offers recommendations for changing standards and policies to better promote physical activity in after-school programs.

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From the Safe Routes to School National Program

Safe Routes to School: Helping Communities Save Lives and Dollars

By getting more children to walk and bicycle to school, Safe Routes to School initiatives can reduce traffic congestion around schools and increase children's physical activity levels.

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Health Policy Snapshot

Do Students Who Are More Active Do Better in School?

Physical activity is linked to cognitive and behavioral benefits for students, such as improved concentration, better school attendance, and fewer classroom disruptions.

Read the brief

More Research and Resources on Physical Activity at School

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Healthy Schools Program Shows Impact

October 22, 2012 | Feature

The 2012 Healthy Schools Program forum honored 251 schools for their achievements and released results from a four-year evaluation of the program.

Senate Bill 42

September 1, 2009 | Journal Article

Texas Senate Bill 42 (SB42), enacted in 2005, directed the state's middle schools to strengthen institutional responsibility for the health of their students. This study assessed whether a representative sample of middles schools were adhering to SB42.

Physical Environmental Correlates of Childhood Obesity

March 6, 2009 | Journal Article

This article provides a systematic review of the literature on the relationship between environmental and community factors and childhood obesity. While these factors are thought to contribute to childhood obesity, the nature of the relationship is not well understood.

Supporting Physical Activity Outside of School Time

May 1, 2012 | Issue Brief

Regular physical activity promotes important health benefits, reduces risk for obesity, and is linked to enhanced academic performance. National recommendations call for children and adolescents to be active for 60 minutes a day. The U.S. Department ...

Estimated Energy Expenditures for School-Based Policies and Active Living

February 1, 2013 | Journal Article

This study estimates the minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity various school and community policy changes could support among youth.

Do All Children Have Places to be Active?

May 1, 2012 | Report

Research shows that lower-income and racial and ethnic minority people tend to live in neighborhoods with fewer and poorer quality sidewalks, fewer parks and open spaces, and more crime, social disorder and traffic. These environmental and social fa ...

Implementation of Texas Senate Bill 19 to Increase Physical Activity in Elementary Schools

March 25, 2009 | Book

Passing a school health policy bill is not enough. Program refinements, monitoring and accountability measures, as well as supportive communitywide efforts, are necessary to achieve the legislation's goals, according to this evaluation of a bill mandating physical education time and school health education.

Alliance for a Healthier Generation's Competitive Beverage and Food Guidelines

October 1, 2012 | Journal Article

The food and beverages served in elementary school meal programs through the United States Department of Agriculture school meal program must meet certain federal nutrition standards. However, many schools also sell food through à la carte lines and ...

Mississippi Healthy Summit Leads to Increased Physical Activity Requirements in Schools

July 14, 2008 | Program Result

The state of Mississippi convened the Healthy Mississippi Summit, June 15, 2006, in Jackson, Miss., to focus attention on the primary causes of chronic diseases in Mississippi and to promote a statewide approach to promoting healthy lifestyles.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Drafts Guidelines for Schools to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity

June 1, 2007 | Program Result

The CDC conducted a review of the scientific literature and produced evidence-based guidelines for school health programs to promote healthy eating and physical activity to prevent obesity among children.