Physical activity levels during a Sport Education season of games from around the world

Abstract

Sport Education is a curriculum model designed to provide all students with authentic sport experiences, regardless of their individual characteristics. Research showing the effectiveness of the model in promoting physical activity (PA) levels is still scant. In addition, interventions have mostly included invasion games as the main content, thus suggesting the need for exploring alternative game classifications. This study aimed to objectively analyze PA levels (sedentary, light, moderate, vigorous, and moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA)), counts, and metabolic equivalent of task (MET) amongst seventh-grade students after having participated in a Sport Education season (18 lessons) of games from around the world. A total of 71 seventh-grade students (mean age = 12.3 ± 0.50; boys, n = 38; girls, n = 33) from a secondary school in northern Spain participated in the study. ActiGraph GT3X accelerometers were utilized to measure PA, counts, and METS. Likewise, height and weight were measured, and body mass index was calculated. Across the entire season students averaged just over 64% of lesson time engaged in MVPA. Significant differences in relation to gender were only found in counts (higher in boys). In relation to the phases, preseason was shown to be the most active phase, significantly contributing to MVPA levels, as well as to counts, and METS. The programme could be considered to be an effective resource for the promotion of more equitable participation, since both girls and boys displayed similar MVPA levels, exceeding the recommended minimum levels for PE lessons.