Going further than the 'Daily Mile'.

Abstract

A recent primary school initiative encouraged pupils to run or walk a mile each day. Andy Fairhurst and Sarah Hotham of the Centre for Health Services Studies, University of Kent, highlight the importance of encouraging children to explore a full range of social and physical activities, building foundations for continued physical activity in later life.[Image omitted: See PDF.]In 2015, media attention focussed on a Scottish primary school where the introduction of a 'Daily Mile' saw pupils run or walk a mile, taking around 15 min each day.[1] The benefits claimed by the school and media included that obesity had been eliminated and that educational attainment and concentration had been improved.[2],[3] The simplicity and replicability of the concept has caught the attention of the health and education sector, and over the last year, there have been moves to reproduce the programme across England.Why not the Daily Mile?The Daily Mile falls short of where primary school physical activity needs to be. While an additional 15 min or more per day of activity will contribute to achieving the recommended daily minimum of 60 min of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity in children,[4] the Daily Mile is an overly simplistic contribution to energy expenditure that misses opportunities to develop a range of physical and social skills. Furthermore, it is a potential contributor to the issues underpinning physical inactivity later in life.It also fails to address what children want from physical activity. Children have an inherent interest in physical activity-based play and a strong belief in its value, with the main reasons for positive attitudes towards physical activity identified as fun and enjoyment, being with friends and the sense of belonging to a team.[5] It is unlikely that an enforced mile run will engender these feelings in every child.The worst case scenario is that the Daily Mile is setting up a generation for a lifetime of inactivity. Low levels of participation after leaving primary school are often due to negative experiences of primary school sport and physical activity, particularly in girls.[6] Reasons cited for children and young people not wanting to participate in physical activity in primary school include getting cold and wet,[7] and boredom;[5] both commensurate with a compulsory year-round outdoor run in school uniform.The Current State of Primary School Physical EducationThe excitement with which the Daily Mile has been received is a tacit admission that there is a lack of structured physical activity in primary schools. Physical education (PE) lessons in England last an average of 108 min, well below the daily recommended levels of physical activity.[8] Outside classes and break times provide an opportunity for free play, but for children who are already disengaged with physical activity, this time is usually spent sedentary.[9]There is also a variation in quality of primary school PE delivery. Initial Teacher Training allocates a maximum of 12 h to physical education, meaning primary teachers do not feel confident or safe delivering PE lessons.[10] Furthermore, many teachers start with preconceived views of PE, usually shaped from their own negative school experiences, which are difficult or impossible to change.[10]Building the Foundations of a Sporting FutureThe benefits of the Daily Mile claimed are not exclusive to a mile's walk or run, but are the widely reported benefits of physical activity. If schools are to commit time to physical activity, could it be better spent promoting physical literacy, movement skills and leadership as well expending energy?Physical literacy is the foundation of PE and school sport and describes the range of motor skills, flexibility, agility, co-ordination, confidence and motivation required to take part in physical activity or sport. …