Abstract
School physical activity (PA) is an indispensable part of daily PA, the foundation for developing lifelong PA and fitness, and an easy way to gain physical and health literacy. School PA is equally important for understanding the continuity of physical and mental health, even in broader psychosocial aspects. Regarding long-term outcomes, significant attention has been paid to the determination of daily and weekly recommendations for adolescent PA. However, comprehensive approaches suggesting recommendations for PA in segments of the school day are rare. This study aimed to (a) provide a rationale for PA recommendations in segments of school days and incorporate it into generally accepted PA recommendations, and (b) promote radical changes in the educational process toward a healthy school lifestyle through PA recommendations in segments of school days. The results of research conducted in 98 secondary schools in the Czech Republic and 104 secondary schools in Poland from 2009 to 2017 were used in this study. In total, 3,860 boys and 5,237 girls from the Czech Republic and 3,052 boys and 3,329 girls from Poland, all aged 15–19, participated. We recommended at least 2,000 steps (or 10 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA) for the before school segment and at least 6,000 steps (or 30 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA) for the after-school segment. For the time spent at school, we further recommended at least 500 steps/h (alternatively, at least 3,000 steps/school time), 20 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA (≥3METs or 60% HRmax), and at least one HRsubmax/max response to significant stress during PA to mitigate educational stress and high levels of sedentary behavior in schools. PA should account for at least 25% of school time, even on days with no scheduled physical education lessons. We propose using PA recommendations in segments of school days to achieve positive changes in the educational process and school lifestyle. Acceptance of PA recommendations in segments of school days theories on physical education could help refine and concretize demands for changes in PA and lifestyle in secondary schools. In practice, it could support the creation of innovative and comprehensive school PA programs. Future research should focus on obtaining evidence in support for adolescent PA by applying PA recommendations in segments of school days.
Highlights
The state of health in European populations is alarming, most notably with cardiovascular diseases being responsible for 45% (3.9 million) of all deaths in Europe annually [1]
Continental and regional variability in lifestyle is a significant inhibitor of globally recognized physical activity (PA) recommendations [38]— especially regarding children and adolescents—due to societal differences in the role of education, different educational systems, and curricula differences
Recommendations published in the Healthy People Initiative and Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans [39] have had the greatest impact worldwide
Summary
The state of health in European populations is alarming, most notably with cardiovascular diseases being responsible for 45% (3.9 million) of all deaths in Europe annually [1]. After school PA is the most important part of daily PA on a school day [55]; it is the part most affected by educational and institutional environments (comprising sports and other leisure-time PA institutions), together with social and economic context Despite their positive effects [56], previous after-school interventions to increase PA in children have scarcely yielded significant outcomes [57], and there is little evidence regarding which after-school settings increase PA among adolescents the most [58]. Mean HR/min was 90.5 ± 13.4 for boys and 93.8 ± 13.4 for girls Based on these findings, our proposed recommendations for PA in the after-school segment are at least 6,000 steps or 30 min of MVPA, provided by AT from school and various organized and unorganized PA. Despite questionnaire limitations [28], our school PA recommendations complement general PA recommendations as follows: ≥20 min of vigorous PA at school (≈360 METs-min) at least three times per week; ≥30 min of moderate PA at school (≈600 MET-min) at least five times per week; ≥30 min of walking at school (≈500 MET-min) at least five times per week; and (the most challenging recommendation) ≥60 min of any MVPA at least five times per week and ≥20 min of vigorous PA at least three times per week (≈ 1260 MET-min)
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