Daily Mile Research Articles

“It Is Becoming Easier”: Lessons From an Undergraduate Physical Activity Champion

With the continued push by organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization to build healthy K-12 campuses, it is important to find ways to prepare preservice physical education teachers to successfully contribute to these whole-school models. This article shares the first-hand experience of an undergraduate student who took on the role of physical activity champion at a university campus. The health and physical education program at the university became the first college campus to adopt the Daily Mile as a whole-campus physical activity initiative. The initiative was used to give an undergraduate student first-hand experience as a physical activity leader. This article shares the joys and challenges faced in this role and reflects on the usefulness of the process to prepare for a future role as a physical education teacher.

Gelingens- und Hindernisfaktoren bei der Implementierung von Gesundheitsförderung in Kitas und Grundschulen anhand von 4 ausgewählten Projekten

ZusammenfassungHintergrundGesundheitsförderung (GF) ist eine komplexe, politisch geforderte Aufgabe. Die Implementierungsgüte korreliert mit der Wirksamkeit von GF. Sie erfolgreich zu implementieren, erfordert die Beachtung von Kontextbedingungen, was in Wirksamkeitsstudien eher unterbleibt. Ziel ist es, Gelingens- und Hindernisfaktoren für die Implementierung von GF in Kindertagesstätten und Grundschulen anhand von 4 Projekten (Fit fürs Leben, fit für pisa +, Buchprojekt Sonnige Traurigtage und The Daily Mile) in der Gesundheitsregion Göttingen/Südniedersachsen zu identifizieren. Die Auswirkungen der COVID-19-Pandemie werden als implementierungsrelevant für diese Projekte angenommen.MethodenIn 24 semistrukturierten Interviews und 2 Fokusgruppendiskussionen wurden im Zeitraum 08/2021–03/2022 hauptsächlich Lehrer*innen und Erzieher*innen zur Umsetzung der Projekte in ihren Tätigkeitsbereichen befragt. Nach Transkription wurde mittels qualitativer Inhaltsanalyse ausgewertet. Das Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research unterstützte die Analyse.ErgebnisseInsgesamt wurden 22 Faktorengruppen identifiziert, auf deren Basis 22 Handlungsempfehlungen für die Implementierung von GF formuliert wurden. Im Vordergrund standen Gelingensfaktoren auf der Individuen- und Interventionsebene. Die COVID-19-Pandemie wirkte sich positiv auf den Stellenwert der GF aus, obgleich ihre Umsetzbarkeit erschwert war.DiskussionZahlreiche Ergebnisse zur Implementierung von GF in kindlichen Lebenswelten konnten durch die Studie bestätigt werden. Auffällig ist der hohe Stellenwert der Individuenfaktoren, was sich auf die Befragung projektnaher Interviewpersonen zurückführen lassen könnte. Die Studienergebnisse tragen zur Weiterentwicklung von Implementierungsstrategien in der GF bei.

Evaluating the Perceived Health-Related Effectiveness of 'The Daily Mile' Initiative in Irish Primary Schools.

Many Irish primary school children do not meet recommended physical activity (PA) guidelines. The Daily Mile (TDM) is a primary school initiative designed to increase children's PA output. This study evaluates TDM's perceived effect on Irish primary school children's health-related metrics. A mixed-methods study, comprising two data collection phases, used the RE-AIM framework to evaluate TDM. Phase One involved teachers, principals and classroom assistants (n = 191) from TDM-registered schools completing a questionnaire. Two TDM-registered schools participated in Phase Two, where (i) interviews were conducted with each principal, (ii) a teacher sub-sample (n = 4) participated in a focus group, and (iii) a child sub-sample (n = 14) participated in separate focus groups. TDM was perceived to positively impact the markers of children's health, including their PA behaviour, physical fitness and social well-being. Inclement weather (66.5%) and a lack of time (56.5%) were reported as the top-ranked implementation barriers. Moreover, TDM's repetitive nature often left children feeling disinterested and resulted in some teachers modifying the initiative to maintain engagement levels. Maintaining the long-term implementation of TDM and its health benefits in primary schools may require bespoke amendments to the original format to preserve children's engagement.

CSP2023: 509 - Does ‘The Daily Mile’ Improve Primary School Children’s Fitness? – A Systematic Review

CSP2023: 509 - Does ‘The Daily Mile’ Improve Primary School Children’s Fitness? – A Systematic Review

Children's motivation for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during the Daily Mile: A theory of planned behaviour perspective

Sustained motivation for Daily Mile participation at higher physical activity intensities may contribute to the attainment of children's daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) targets and long-term health benefits. However, individual variability exists in the amount of MVPA accumulated by children during the Daily Mile. The current study explored children's motivation for participating in the Daily Mile at MVPA intensity, using a theory of planned behaviour framework. Twenty-five children (mean age = 10.07 ± 0.60 years) from the Northwest of England were recruited to the study; 52% were female and 88% were White. Participants completed a questionnaire, with an open-ended response format, probing behavioural, control, and normative beliefs for participation in the Daily Mile at MVPA intensity. Template analysis was conducted independently by two researchers to identify main themes and subthemes. Findings showed that children possessed a range of behavioural, control, and normative beliefs about MVPA participation during the Daily Mile. Prominent behavioural beliefs included fitness enhancement, implications for concentration and learning, positive affective states, and pain and discomfort. Key control beliefs included weather, space and health restrictions, and distractions from peers. Finally, peers and parents were salient normative beliefs. Children possessed a range of modal beliefs in relation to MVPA participation during the Daily Mile. Implications of the findings, and methods for practitioners seeking to maximise the contribution of the Daily Mile to children's daily MVPA targets are discussed.

Six months of different exercise type in sedentary primary schoolchildren: impact on physical fitness and saliva microbiota composition.

Lifestyle influences microbiota composition. We previously reported a healthier microbiota composition in saliva from active schoolchildren compared to sedentary. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of 6 months of different exercise types on physical fitness and saliva microbiota composition in 8-11-years-old sedentary schoolchildren. Sixty-four sedentary children from five primary schools in Turin, Italy, were divided into three groups: one continued normal curricular activity while two underwent different exercise protocols for 6 months. The Structured Exercise (Sa) group did 2 h per week of muscle activation, strength and coordination exercises supervised by a kinesiologist. The Daily Mile (Dm) group did 1 h per week of Sa plus 15 min of walking/running outdoors four times a week, supervised by a class teacher; control group (Ct) did 2 h a week of curricular exercise supervised by a class teacher. Physical fitness was evaluated before and after the intervention. Saliva samples were collected post-intervention in all participants and analyzed using PCR amplification of 16S rRNA bacterial genes. The Amplicon Sequence Variants were filtered, decontaminated, and phylogenetically classified using DADA2 software. Differential abundance analysis of microbiome taxa and pathway data was conducted using the LEfSe algorithm and PICRUSt. The Sa group showed better performances in lower limb power and sprint performance while both the Sa and Dm groups improved in endurance and balance at the end of the intervention; only balance resulted slightly improved in the Ct group. Among the genera differently enriched in saliva after the training intervention, we found that the Prevotella, the Dubosiella and the Family XIII AD3011 group were the most abundant in the Sa group; differently, the Neisseria and the Abiotrophia in Ct group. Four species showed significant the Prevotella melaninogenica and the Prevotella nanceiensis were more abundant in the Sa, conversely, Gemella sanguinis was enriched in Dm and Abiotrophia defectiva in Ct saliva group. We demonstrated that Sa and Dm, not curricular exercise, improve the physical fitness components in sedentary schoolchildren correlated to health and promote an enrichment in saliva microbiota species associated to a healthier profile.

Umbrella review of international evidence for the effectiveness of school-based physical activity interventions.

Obesity and physical inactivity among children and young people are public health concerns. Despite the wide variety of interventions available to promote physical activity, little is known about which interventions are most effective. This review aimed to evaluate the existing literature on school-based interventions that aim to increase physical activity among children and young people aged 6 to 18 years. A systematic review of reviews was undertaken. We searched for systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between December 2017 and January 2024 using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL. Titles and abstracts were independently screened by two reviewers, who also conducted data extraction and quality assessments. We focused on outcomes like changes in physical activity levels and body mass index to assess the effectiveness of the interventions. A total of 23 reviews examining school-based physical activity interventions met the inclusion criteria, comprising 15 systematic reviews and 8 meta-analyses. All reviews (N = 23) were implemented in the school setting: three in primary schools, seven in secondary schools, and thirteen targeted both primary and secondary schools. The findings demonstrated that six reviews reported a statistical increase in physical activity levels among the target population, and one review found a decrease in body mass index. The most promising interventions focused on physical activity included within the school curriculum and were characterised as long-term interventions. 20 out of 23 reviews assessed the quality of primary studies. Some interventions were promising in promoting physical activity among school-aged children and young people such as Daily Mile, Active Break, and Active transport while multi-component interventions seem to be positively effective in reducing BMI. Future efforts should focus on long-term, theory-driven programmes to ensure sustainable increases in physical activity.

The Daily Mile reduces depressive and anxiety symptoms in school-going Ugandan adolescents aged 16-17

The Daily Mile reduces depressive and anxiety symptoms in school-going Ugandan adolescents aged 16-17

Predicting school uptake of The Daily Mile in Northern Ireland- a data linkage study with School Census Data and Multiple Deprivation Measures

BackgroundParticipating in physical activity benefits health, yet a majority of children remain inactive. The Daily Mile™(TDM) originated in Scotland in 2012 with the aim of increasing primary school children’s physical fitness. Despite being a practically feasible and popular initiative, it remains unclear the extent to which schools implement TDM, and whether TDM core principles are adhered to (i.e., run or jogat least3-days per week). In Northern Ireland it is unknown how many schools regularly participate in TDM, and whether there is an association between TDM participation with school type, school location, size, total number of children attending the school, school deprivation level, and/or motivation as measured by the COM-B model (Capabilities, Opportunities, Motivation model of behaviour). Therefore, this study aimed to quantify the uptake of TDM in Northern Ireland, assess whether schools are following the core principles, and analyse if there is an association between aforesaid demographic factors and TDM participation.MethodsAn online cross-sectional survey was sent to all primary and special education schools in Northern Ireland with the support of the Education Authority for Northern Ireland and the Public Health Agency for Northern Ireland. The survey was completed by the school principal or teacher, and was available from 31stAugust until 16thDecember 2022. Survey results were linked with the 2021/2022 Northern Ireland School Census Data and Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2017. Quantitative and qualitative questions were included in the survey to assess participation and implementation of TDM.ResultsThe survey received 609 school responses. After data cleaning, and removal of duplicates from schools a sample of 358 primary schools (45%) and 19 special education schools (47.5%) was analysed. Over half (54.7%) of primary schools and 36.8% of special education schools reported taking part in TDM. More special education needs schools reported taking part in their own version of an ‘active mile’ rather than TDM formally, and qualitative findings showed TDM was not perceived as appropriate for many children in special educational settings. There was wide variation in adherence to TDM core principles. A multivariate binary logistic regression model was fitted to the data, but it was not statistically significant (χ2(17) = 22.689, p = .160). However, univariate effects showed that increasing levels on COM-B (Capability) was associated with increased likelihood of TDM participation (OR = 2.506), and Catholic Maintained schools were almost twice as likely as Controlled schools to be delivering TDM (OR = 1.919). There was no association found between deprivation and TDM uptake.ConclusionEncouragingly over 50% of schools in Northern Ireland reported taking part in TDM. However, despite being a low-cost and practically feasible physical activity initiative, further intervention work with sound research methodology is needed to promote adherence to TDM core principles to maximise benefits to children’s health. Furthermore, concerted efforts are required to adjust TDM so that it is inclusive for all educational settings, and children’s abilities.

The Daily Mile: The Impact of an Elementary School-Based Exercise Program on Pulmonary Function.

Implementing a structured activity to encourage exercise in children may be a strategy with benefits. We evaluated pulmonary function in elementary school children participating in a school-based exercise program called The Daily Mile. During the fall semester, we implemented The Daily Mile program in one elementary school and compared pulmonary function in children in the intervention school pre- and postintervention to children in a control school in the same community. The primary outcomes were forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1% (the FEV1/FVC ratio). The children in the control school showed no significant change in FEV1% during the semester (P=.06). On the other hand, children in the intervention school showed a significant improvement in FEV1% during the same semester (P=.001). This effect was consistent even when stratifying by asthma and sports participation. The Daily Mile has benefits for pulmonary function in children. Although family physicians should continue to encourage their patients to have a healthy lifestyle, a more effective approach may be to encourage schools to adopt a program that teachers oversee and administer in a structured way.

S14-2 Sports promotion in children and adolescents: analysis of good practice interventions in 7 countries

Abstract Purpose There are many interesting sports promotion interventions in European countries. Which ones are effective and can serve as good practice examples among children and adolescents? What should be considered when policies or programmes are transferred to other countries? This study has examined sports promotion interventions of seven European countries. It provides an overview of effective interventions and considers transferability to other countries. Project description The Swiss Federal Office of Sports assigned a study to identify effective sport promotion interventions in seven selected European countries with a potential to be transferred to Switzerland. The seven countries were: Austria, Germany, England, Finland, France, The Netherlands, and Norway. To identify the interventions, we conducted desk research and interviews with country representatives. In total, we identified 73 sport-promoting policies, action plans or programmes in the seven countries. As part of the detailed analysis of the most promising interventions, we have examined the national strategy “On the move” of Finland and the national action plan “School sport and activity action plan” of England. These superordinate interventions stand out for their clear objectives and comprehensive implementation. In addition, we have identified several interventions for which we consider a high added value in terms of sports promotion and a feasible implementation in Switzerland or other countries. These are “The Daily Mile” from Germany (15 minutes run or walk every day at school), “Girls Active” from England (enhancing of sport and physical activity in girls in the school setting), “Doorstep Sportclub” from England and “Community Sport Coaches” from the Netherlands (both address in particular children and adolescents with a migration background or low socio-economic status and are offered through the municipality and the associations). Conclusions This study gives an overview about effective sport promotion interventions targeting children and adolescents of seven European countries. Interventions that include comprehensive measures such as a national strategy or low-threshold programmes in schools or communities that address vulnerable groups such as girls, educationally disadvantaged families, children and youth with a migration background or low socio-economic status are particularly interesting from a Swiss perspective and certainly also for other European countries.

Real-world application of a scalable school-based physical activity intervention: A cross-sectional survey of the implementation of The Daily Mile in Greater London primary schools.

School-based physical activity interventions are considered ideal given their potential to reach most children. They can help children achieve the recommended guidelines of 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day. The Daily Mile is a popular school-based active mile intervention with a global reach. It recommends ten core principles for successful implementation, three of which are key for effectiveness: that it is quick (15 minutes), the whole school participates, and that it takes place in the school day during lessons (excluding physical education lessons and scheduled breaks). Studies assessing the impacts of The Daily Mile do not often report implementation of the ten core principles which is crucial to identifying the potential impact and feasibility of scalable interventions in real-world settings. Our aim was to assess adherence to The Daily Mile's ten core principles in Greater London primary schools. We created and distributed a survey to 1717 primary schools during September 2020 and achieved a 21% (n = 369/1717) response rate by September 2021. Our sample was representative of Greater London primary schools with responses from every London borough. A total of 196/369 (53%) schools reported implementing The Daily Mile but none of them reported adherence to all ten core principles. Adherence to at least 6/10 principles in various combinations was reported by 54/196 (28%) schools. Only 19/196 (10%) schools that reported implementing The Daily Mile reported adherence to the three key principles recommended for effectiveness. Despite its popularity and global reach, our findings suggest that an implementation gap exists when The Daily Mile is adopted in real-world settings which is likely to challenge its intended purpose. Further research in school settings is needed to understand factors that can improve adherence to increase the potential public health impact of The Daily Mile and other similar interventions.

A Systematic Review of the Implementation and Effectiveness of 'The Daily Mile' on Markers of Children's Health.

Currently, a high percentage of children globally fail to meet the World Health Organisation's (WHO) recommended daily physical activity (PA) guidelines. The Daily Mile (TDM) is a school-based PA initiative, designed to improve primary school children's PA behaviour. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the extant TDM implementation process and identify its impact on health-related metrics. Three databases were used to search for articles from the time TDM originated in 2012 until February 2022. The identification and screening process of articles for their ability to meet this review's eligibility criteria were facilitated by use of PRISMA and Rayyan. Sixteen articles from the initial search (n = 202) were deemed eligible for inclusion. An analysis of these articles identified five common outcome categories that permeated throughout the research articles: (1) cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF); (2) anthropometry and body composition; (3) PA; (4) cognition; and (5) process evaluation. Results presented from the included articles suggests TDM positively impacts markers of a variety of health-related metrics, namely CRF and PA. However, implementation barriers including TDM's repetitive nature, time constraints associated with competing curriculum demands and inadequate facilities regularly necessitate the adaptation and development of the original TDM format by schools and teachers.

‘Maybe add something to it?’: building on The Daily Mile to enhance enjoyment and engagement

ABSTRACT The focus of this study is to investigate if a physical activity initiaitive (The Daily Mile) centred on running could be adapted to enhance primary school children’s enjoyment of and engagement with physical activity. An intervention took place over a 4-week period consisting of two components: The Daily Mile and an adapted component, The Extra Mile. The Extra Mile involved providing additional activities to the Daily Mile underpinned by self-determination theory [Deci, Edward L., and Richard M. Ryan. 1985. Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior. New York, NY: Plenum. http://lib.ugent.be/catalog/rug01:001363062] and achievement goal theory [Nicholls, John G. 1989. The Competitive Ethos and Democratic Education. The Competitive Ethos and Democratic Education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press]. A qualitative research approach was applied, using focus group interviews with children, children’s diary entries and teacher-researcher observation checklists to determine children’s engagement and enjoyment levels. Findings revealed that providing additional activities (within The Extra Mile) was important in increasing children’s enjoyment of and engagement with The Daily Mile. Finding the balance between each of the components to meet the needs and preferences of children is recommended.

Commentary: Comment and reflection about Mental health outcomes of the Daily Mile in elementary school children: a single-arm pilot study. The implementation of the Daily Mile in the school context.

In 'Mental health outcomes of the Daily Mile in elementary school children: a single-arm pilot study', Arkesteyn etal. (Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 2022) discussed and investigated the effect of a classroom activity break, named The Daily Mile, on pupils' self-esteem, self-perception competence, and mental health. Starting from the interesting and novel results of Arkesteyn etal. (Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 2022), this comment focuses on the concurrent evidence about the effect of The Daily Mile on pupils' physical and mental health. Overall, this comment would reflect and critically review considerations for future research on the topic and to adopt it in the school context.

O8-4 The effect of The Daily Mile on primary school children's aerobic fitness levels after 12 weeks: a controlled trial

BackgroundThe Daily Mile is a school-based physical activity intervention that aims to improve children's aerobic fitness levels. It encompasses a 15-minute run for the whole class on or around the school grounds at least three times per week. The Daily Mile is an easy and accessible intervention, but the downside is a low threshold to stop or skip a session. Therefore, we aimed to determine 1) the effects of performing The Daily Mile for 12 weeks on the aerobic fitness levels of Dutch primary school children and 2) if additional personal support for teachers impacted the effectiveness of The Daily Mile.MethodsWe conducted a controlled trial in grades 5 through 8 of nine primary schools across the Netherlands. Schools were allocated to control, intervention (12 weeks The Daily Mile) or intervention-plus (12 weeks The Daily Mile and additional support) group. Children completed the shuttle-run test (SRT) at baseline and follow-up, 12 weeks apart. We analyzed the data using multi-level linear regression models clustered within individuals and by classes and schools. All models were adjusted for sex and age.ResultsWe collected complete data sets for 536 children (mean age 10.0 years). The participation rate of classes in the intervention group was 87.8% and in the intervention-plus group 89.7%. After correcting for age and sex, the adjusted model showed a significant intervention effect on SRT-score after 12 weeks for both the intervention group (1.1 stages; 95% CI 0.75, 1.47) and the intervention-plus group (0.6 stages; 95% CI 0.32, 0.89), when compared to the control group.ConclusionPerforming The Daily Mile at least three times per week for a 12 week period can be effective in increasing the aerobic fitness levels of primary school children. Additional personal support for teachers did not improve the effectiveness of the intervention on aerobic fitness within this time frame. This may be due to the high implementation rates in both the intervention group and the intervention-plus group. Possibly additional personal support might become beneficial for maintenance on the longer term.

Effect of 5-weeks participation in The Daily Mile on cognitive function, physical fitness, and body composition in children

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of 5-weeks participation in The Daily Mile on cognitive function, physical fitness, and adiposity in primary school children. In a quasi-experimental study, one class from each school completed The Daily Mile (n = 44) or acted as a control group (n = 35). Baseline measures included cognitive function tests (Stroop test, Sternberg paradigm, Flanker task), physical fitness (multi-stage fitness test) and body composition (BMI percentile, waist:hip circumference, sum of skinfolds). The intervention group completed 5-weeks of The Daily Mile. Follow-up measurements were completed within 48-h of the last training session. Data were analysed via ANCOVA, examining between group differences at follow-up, controlling for baseline values. Response times on the complex Stroop test were faster at follow-up in the intervention group (Intervention: 1357 ms [1280–1400 ms]; Control: 1463 ms, [1410–1523 ms], d = 0.31, p = 0.048). There was no effect of The Daily Mile on the Sternberg paradigm or Flanker test. Physical fitness was greater at follow-up in the intervention group (Intervention: 880 m, [820–940 m]; Control: 740 m, [680–800 m], d = 0.39, p = 0.002). There was no effect of the intervention on adiposity. In conclusion, five-weeks of The Daily Mile enhanced inhibitory control and physical fitness in children, but did not affect working memory, attention, or adiposity.

Mental health outcomes of the Daily Mile in elementary school children: a single-arm pilot study.

School-based physical activity (PA) programmes such as The Daily Mile (TDM) are widely promoted to address shortfalls in meeting PA recommendations. This study is the first to examine TDM (a daily one mile outdoor run/walk performed at a self-selected pace during school hours) on mental health, self-esteem and self-perceived competence of elementary schoolchildren. In total, 550 children (n = 289 boys, aged 5-13 years) were recruited from seven schools across Flanders. The Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were completed before, during and post-intervention. One-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to examine changes over time. Additional subgroup analyses of children with low scores on the SPPC (-1SD) were performed. Only perceived global self-worth (SPPC) was significantly higher (p = .041) following TDM. However, in children with low baseline SPPC scores, significant increases with large effect sizes were found for global self-worth (p = <.001), scholastic competence (p = .001), social competence (p = .003), athletic competence (p = .002), physical appearance (p = <.001) and behavioural conduct (p = .003) following TDM. Moreover, significant reductions over time were reported by parents for total difficulties (p < .001), hyperactivity (p = .004), peer problems (p = .008) and emotional symptoms (p = <.001) and an increase in prosocial behaviour (p = .038) on the SDQ following TDM. However, no changes for conduct problems were observed (p = .143). The study is the first to indicate that TDM potentially improves mental health, self-esteem and self-perceived competence in elementary schoolchildren, especially in those with a poor mental health status. Randomised controlled trials are now required to more definitively test these findings.

Implementation of The Daily Mile™: survey of primary schools in Greater London

Abstract Background The Daily Mile™ is a free school-based active mile intervention. Its main features include that children run or jog for 15 minutes at least 3 times a week (3x/wk) during school hours. The Daily Mile Foundation recommends 10 principles for successful implementation. These are it is (1) quick (15 minutes), (2) fun, (3) whole school participates, (4) it takes place in all weathers, (5) 3x/wk in addition to curricular lessons (not during PE, breaks, before/after school), (6) ideally in the school playground, (7) safe, (8) simple (no equipment), (9) children go at their own pace and (10) no change of clothes or shoes is needed. The aim of this study was to identify how many Greater London primary schools adopting The Daily Mile implement its 10 principles. Methods In September 2020, we sent all state-funded primary schools (n = 1721) in every Greater London borough (n = 32) a survey to find out if and how they implemented The Daily Mile. Results By June 2021, 368 (21%) schools responded to our survey (at least one from every London borough). Of these, 195 (53%) schools adopted The Daily Mile of which only 7 (4%) reported implementing all 10 principles; a median 7 (IQR: 6,8) principles were reported implemented. Whole school participation was reported by 93 (48%) Daily Mile schools, 104 (53%) reported implementing The Daily Mile for 15 minutes, 127 (65%) implemented it at least 3x/wk, and 149 (76%) schools reported that the children ran or jogged during The Daily Mile. A large proportion of schools reported implementing The Daily Mile in the school playground and that it was done simply (both n = 171, 88%), but only 85 (44%) schools reported implementing it during lessons. Conclusions Daily Mile schools in Greater London implement 7/10 principles on average. Whether implementing all the principles limits the success of its desired effect is unclear. Studies assessing effects of The Daily Mile should consider its implementation when reporting results. Key messages Of The Daily Mile’s 10 principles, an average of 7 are implemented in London schools. Studies examining The Daily Mile should consider implementation which may impact its desired effect.

Are children at schools registered to The Daily Mile™ more physically active?

Abstract Background The Daily Mile (TDM) is among the most popular school-based running programmes recommended globally by governments and the WHO to meet the shortfalls in children's physical activity. In England, it has been adopted by 1 in 5 primary schools. However, its impact on children's physical activity has not been assessed at scale. We aimed to compare a)minutes (mins) of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in and outside school hours and b)meeting physical activity guidelines in primary school children in England, comparing those in schools registered with TDM with those that were not. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. We used self-reported data of 49,561 English primary school children(5-11 years) from the Active Lives Children and Young People Survey and TDM registration data of their school. We compared mins of MVPA in and outside school hours between children in TDM-registered and non-registered schools using a multilevel zero-inflated negative binomial model; and the differences in the likelihood of meeting physical activity guidelines based on TDM registration with a multilevel logistic regression model. All models included a random effect for school and adjusted for potential confounders. Results Children attending TDM-registered schools reported an extra 36 mins of MVPA a week overall, including 10 additional mins (95%CI:3,16) MVPA/week during school hours and 26 additional (95%CI:4,44) mins MVPA/week outside school hours. Children in TDM-registered schools were 6% more likely to meet physical activity guidelines compared to those who were not(RR:1.06 (95%CI:1.02,1.11)). Conclusions Children in primary schools registered to TDM report more physical activity that is not compensated for outside school hours. However, the absolute differences fall considerably short of international guidelines across the whole child population. Therefore, a whole school and systems-based approach is required, embedding school-based running programmes. Key messages Children in schools registered to TDM report more MVPA overall, inside, and outside school hours; suggesting no compensation of activity in those who are registered. TDM is a potential solution to increase children’s physical activity during the school day.