Conclusions:
Evidence does suggest that strong state laws with specific time requirements for PE can have an impact on PE attendance and overall physical activity among girls. However, the findings do not provide evidence that strong laws can impact student weight gain. Future study is needed to examine whether they could. This study utilized student self-reported data of PE class attendance and weekly PA; future studies should obtain more objective measures.
About the Study:
Data on 5,510 students from 40 states were obtained from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study. Student data on PE attendance and PA were collected for 8th grade students and BMI change was calculated from 5th grade to 8th grade. State laws regarding PE were classified as strong, weak, or none depending on their requirements.