School Physical Activity Research Articles

Playing for more than winning: Exploring sports participation, physical activity, and belongingness and their relationship with patterns of adolescent substance use and mental health

BackgroundPromoting adolescent sports participation and physical activity may be effective low-barrier prevention strategies for co-occurring adolescent substance use (SU) and mental health symptoms (MH). The objectives of this study were to: 1) explore associations between profiles of SU/MH and sports participation; and 2) determine whether physical activity and belongingness account for these associations. MethodsData came from a representative sample of 11,994 grade 9–12 Ontarian students (ages ~14–18) previously grouped into five SU/MH profiles based on patterns of use and symptoms. A series of multinomial logistic regressions, adjusted for socio-demographics and school clustering, were used to predict the risks of students belonging to SU/MH profiles based on: 1) school sports participation (>=weekly), 2) sports and physical activity (>=60minutes; 0–7 days), and 3) sports, physical activity, and school belongingness. ResultsGreater school sports participation, physical activity, and belongingness were each associated with reduced risks of belonging to most profiles with elevations in SU and/or MH symptoms relative to the low SU/MH profile (Relative Risk Ratios: sports=0.62–0.87, physical activity=0.78–0.98, belonging=0.75–0.83). Frequency of physical activity accounted for ~32–60% of the associations between sports and SU/MH profiles, while school belongingness accounted for the remaining associations. Physical activity and belongingness remained independently associated with SU/MH profiles. ConclusionsFindings suggest possible indirect associations between school sports participation and SU/MH profiles through physical activity and school belongingness, which may be promising prevention targets that have independent associations over and above sports. School sports participation may be one of a number of ways to achieve these goals.

Impact of an After-School Club on Elementary Students’ and Staff Members’ Physical Activity Levels, Mood Levels, and Stress Levels

Guided by the conceptual framework of the Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP), the purpose of this study was to determine if a walking club after school for teachers and students increased physical activity levels, reduced stress, and improved mood. The participants were 51 (67% male, 33% female) fourth- to eighth-grade students and eight staff members at a charter school in the Southwest United States, along with nine comparison teachers. They participated in an 8-week after-school walking/running club twice a week for 45 min. Participants wore a pedometer and completed validated instruments to assess stress levels and mood. Descriptive statistics were performed. Group differences were explored with t tests. Overall, the average number of steps during the 13 school days for students was 7,657 (SD = 2,661). The after-school program added an additional 2,585 (SD = 699) steps to their day. Staff members were less active at school with 5,896.33 (SD = 2,617) steps, but equally or more active in the after-school program with 3,063 (SD = 331) steps. The t-test results were significant, showing students and teachers reported less stress at the end of the program. Only staff members completed the mood instrument, and there were significantly more positive mood indicators and fewer negative mood indicators at the posttest. Comparison teachers had similar steps at school. Because the intervention group of teachers reported more stress at pretest, their decreased stress values were similar to the comparison teachers at posttest. Participating in an after-school walking/running club can increase daily physical activity, decrease stress levels, and improve overall mood, specifically, if teachers want to feel more interested and inspired and less distressed, irritable, and nervous.

Relationship between Anxiety and Problematic Smartphone Use in First-Year Junior High School Students: Moderated Mediation Effects of Physical Activity and School Adjustment.

Despite previous research identifying anxiety as a risk factor for problematic smartphone use among students, the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying the relationship between the two aforementioned variables are poorly understood. This study aims to explore the relationship between anxiety and problematic smartphone use among first-year junior high school students, together with the mediating effects of school adjustment and the moderating effects of physical activity on the mentioned relationship. This study was conducted using a Web-based self-report questionnaire survey with data collected from 445 first-year junior high school students in Jinan City, Shandong Province. Mediation and moderation analyses were performed using the PROCESS macro in SPSS. The results showed that anxiety predicted problematic smartphone use not only directly but also indirectly via school adjustment. School adjustment played a partial mediating role in the relationship between anxiety and problematic smartphone use. Physical activity also played a moderating role in the relationship between anxiety and school adjustment. school adjustment and physical activity may be important variables in the relationship between anxiety and problematic smartphone use.

Build health in childhood: is it possible to promote health through a social media campaign?

Abstract Introduction Given the rise of overweight rate among Italian school-aged children (detected by the surveillance system “OKkio alla SALUTE”-WHO-COSI Italy, a communication campaign, addressed to parents, was carried out on social media to promote knowledge and encourage healthy choices to improve children's well-being. Social media allows both to inform users and to actively involve them through an exchange of ideas and opinions. The National Institute of Health, the IRCCS Burlo Garofolo and the Ministry of Health promoted this initiative. Methods The campaign consisted in the dissemination, through the institutional page “Guadagnare Salute” on FB and IG, of messages, videos and infographics about a healthy lifestyles. An evaluation plan was set up. Data considered 16/11/2022-04/12/2023 on FB. Results The campaign started on November 23rd 2022 and will end in May 2023. 33% of the published posts were sponsored. Users. In the considered timeframe, FB users increased by 78%; 86% were women aged between 35 and 54. The most significant user increase occurred during: a. the first three weeks of the social media campaign and b. after the Christmas break. Exposure. 483.926 users viewed the published contents and 15.056 visited the FB page. Involvement. What affected most the post coverage was: a. sponsorships; b. type and topic of content. The topic that most interested the users was physical activity (active mobility and physical activity in school). Some particular posts about fruit and vegetable consumption, healthy eating and sedentary lifestyle also had a high engagement rate. The topic of sugar-sweetened beverages received the most controversial comments. Conclusions Currently, there still is little evidence on the role that social media has on actually changing attitudes and health behaviors among people. The initiative aims to provide further evidence of institutional channels using social media for health promotion purposes. Key messages • Social media could be a key communication channel, especially in order to reduce inequalities. • Evidence about the effectiveness of social media as a health promotion setting is still limited.

Multidimensional school features associated with physical activity among youth at risk of obesity: an exploratory principal component and generalized estimating equation analysis

BackgroundSchools may be high-leverage points for the promotion of physical activity (PA), yet little is known about school built and social environments among youth at high risk of obesity.PurposeTo characterise school built and social environments that may be salient for PA and to examine associations between school PA environments and PA in youth at risk of obesity.MethodsData from youth attending 206 schools (314 youth in 2005–2008, and 129 youth in 2008–2010) within the QUALITY cohort study, a longitudinal investigation of youth at high risk of obesity were used. Features of schools, based on built, policy/programming and social environments were identified using principal components (PC) analysis. Gender-stratified generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were used to explore associations between school features and accelerometer measured mean counts per minute (MCPM), mean daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and the odds of meeting MVPA guidelines cross-sectionally and prospectively using 90% confidence intervals.ResultsNine PCs were identified. Associations were observed between PA and 7 of the 9 PCs. The social environment seemed to be particularly important. Social Norms to Promote PA was associated with an increase in girls’ baseline MCPM and MVPA. High Willingness to Promote PA was associated with boys’ MCPM, MVPA, and odds of meeting MVPA guidelines, at both baseline and follow-up.ConclusionSchool built and social contexts may be associated with PA cross-sectionally and over time. Further studies are necessary to confirm the direction and magnitude of effects and to establish their relevance to school-based health promotion efforts.

Revisiting Recess: A Mixed-Methods Study to Understand Physical Activity During Changing Recess Policies

ABSTRACT Background Recess is an integral part of a comprehensive school physical activity program. Immediately prior to the pandemic, state legislation doubled the amount of required recess, creating an opportunity to better understand how policies and practices influence recess. Purpose To describe changes to recess due to COVID-19 and extended recess legislation and to quantify student physical activity during recess following these changes. Methods This mixed-method study was conducted in Spring 2021 in four elementary schools. Recess physical activity was measured using waist-worn accelerometers, recess was observed, and researchers conducted interviews with teachers and principals. Results Females spent 41.7% (95%CI: 38.2, 44.5) and males spent 47.9% (95%CI: 44.6, 51.2) of recess in accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (n = 164). Participants (n = 13) discussed increased supervision, classroom separation on the playground, and benefits of extended recess. Discussion States should consider extending recess requirements but need to consider options for scheduling and indoor recess. Recess continues to be a key physical activity opportunity during school. Translation to Health Education Practice Health Educators considering changes to recess policies and practices may want to consider scheduling of recess including class integration, options for indoor recess, and professional development for recess supervision to help maximize the benefits of recess.

Does Increased Physical Activity Explain the Psychosocial Benefits of Sport Participation During COVID-19?

Although the return to sports during COVID-19 has been associated with improvements in mental health and quality of life (QOL), whether these benefits are primarily due to increases in physical activity (PA) is unknown. To determine whether PA increases were responsible for the improvements in mental health and QOL among adolescents who returned to sport during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cross-sectional study. Wisconsin secondary schools. A total of 559 adolescent athletes (age = 15.7 + 1.2 years, females = 43.6%) from 44 schools completed a survey in October 2020. Demographic information, whether they had returned to sport participation, school instruction type, anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), QOL (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0), and PA (Hospital for Special Surgery Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale). Mediation analysis was used to assess whether the relationships between sport status and anxiety, depression, and QOL were mediated by PA. At the time of the study, 171 (31%) had returned to play and 388 (69%) had not. Athletes who had returned to play had less anxiety (3.6 ± 0.4 versus 8.2 ± 0.6, P < .001) and depression (4.2 ± 0.4 versus 7.3 ± 0.6, P < .001) and higher QOL (88.1 ± 1.0 versus 80.2 ± 1.4, P < .001) and more PA (24.0 ± 0.5 versus 16.3 ± 0.7, P < .001). Physical activity explained a significant, but small, proportion of the difference in depression (22.1%, P = .02) and QOL (16.0%, P = .048) but not anxiety (6.6%, P = .20) between athletes who had and those who had not returned to play. Increased PA was responsible for only a small portion of the improvements in depression and QOL among athletes who returned to sports. This suggests that most of the mental health benefits of sport participation for adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic were independent of the benefits of increased PA.

Measuring Physical Education Teacher Socialization With Respect to Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programming

Purpose: Utilizing teacher socialization in physical education theory, the aim of this study was to develop a survey to measure physical education teachers’ socialization experiences and comprehensive school physical activity program involvement. Method: Instrument development included a review of existing comprehensive school physical activity program and socialization instruments, Delphi method to evaluate face and content validity through expert feedback, and a pilot test to examine the instrument’s psychometric properties. Results: Upon completion of expert feedback, three items were removed, four items were revised, and open-ended questions were added to each survey construct. The pilot test yielded 28 completed surveys (40% response rate). Bayesian exploratory factor analytic procedures showed that items had statistically significant loadings and were quality measures of the corresponding constructs. Survey subscales had acceptable and high internal consistency coefficients. Discussion/Conclusion: Results suggest that this instrument is a trustworthy tool for continued research examining physical education teachers’ socialization and comprehensive school physical activity program involvement.

O.4.6-8 Dutch school policies for less sitting and more physical activity in primary schools

Abstract Purpose A more dynamic school day that includes less sitting and more physical activity throughout the day may support health in primary school children. In this mixed methodologies study, we assessed which physical activity possibilities are incorporated in the school policies of Dutch primary schools and if this translates into more physical activity in pupils. Methods Seven primary schools were included in the study. The head teachers completed a questionnaire on the incorporation of physical activity in the school policy. Physical activity policy was assessed for physical education, physical activity during breaks, scheduling of physical activity during lessons, after school physical activity and active transport to school. In each school, actual physical activity was objectively measured using accelerometers in pupils in two classes and planning and logging of PA by teachers. Results We will assess the impact of the school policy on physical activity in pupils using logistic regression. We will assess the impact of the several school policies on total physical activity in pupils, and on the three (light, moderate and high) modalities of physical activity. Conclusion The results of this study will give us more insight in the current role of physical activity in Dutch primary schools. The potential impact of the school policy on physical activity levels in pupils can be used as a starting point for a more integral dynamic school day approach. Support/Funding Source This study was partially funded by “Stichting Westelijke Tuinsteden’.

O.6.1-7 Self-evaluation survey supporting student participation in physical activity promotion in lower secondary schools

Abstract Purpose A self-evaluation survey for students was developed in 2021 as a part of the national programme called Finnish Schools on the Move (FSM). The purpose of the survey is to increase and strengthen student participation in developing a physically active operating culture in schools. Using the survey, schools get information about adolescents’ physical activity (PA) during the school day as well as adolescents’ ideas and wishes concerning how to increase PA in the school environment. Methods The online survey available on the FSM programme’s website has six statements related to adolescents’ participation in PA during the school day: break-time activities in the schoolyard and inside the school, break-time activities directed by other students or to other students, active commuting, and exercise breaks in lessons. The survey also contains 14 statements related to students’ opinions and experiences on operations increasing PA during the school day. In addition, the survey includes two open-ended questions through which students can describe what would motivate them to participate in PA and how they would increase their PA in school. The survey is available to all lower secondary schools and the schools receive a summary of students’ responses. Results By the end of February 2023, the data consist of 2,506 self-evaluations from 11 schools. The results varied between schools and reflected the practices of the school’s operating culture. On the other hand, certain topics were repeated in the responses of all students, for example, related to factors that motivate them to engage in PA in school: peer support, better opportunities for PA around the schoolyard, rewards for PA, exercise breaks during lessons, interesting sport equipment, and access to the gym during break-times. Conclusions To increase PA especially in lower secondary schools, students could be given more opportunities to take part in planning and implementing different kinds of activities. The self-evaluation survey for students is one way to gather students’ opinions and strengthen their participation in the development of actions increasing PA during the school day. Support/Funding Source The Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland.

O.4.6-7 The role of external providers for Physical Education and extracurricular physical activity in Irish primary schools

Abstract Purpose In Irish primary schools, Physical Education (PE) is taught by generalist teachers. While PE is critical in developing essential skills for lifelong physical activity (PA) participation, studies show teacher confidence and competence to teach PE is low due to negative personal experiences and insufficient training. Many schools utilise external providers to supplement PE provision and provide extracurricular PA. However, this provision is largely unregulated, without clear distinction between the two. This study aims to examine the role of external providers for PE and PA in Irish primary schools. Methods An online survey for principals and teachers was developed and validated using a modified Delphi technique. It included 57 questions examining current practices for PE provision schools. A link to the survey was emailed to all Irish primary schools and shared on social media. SPSS version 27 was used for data analysis. Results Of the 513 respondents, 81.7% were female, 17.9% male and 0.4% didn’t say. A majority (82%) regularly use external providers for extracurricular PA, which takes place mostly during the school day (89%). Although intended as activity not related to PE provision, it is used by teachers as the only PE provided either sometimes (45.5%) or all of the time (21.6%). External providers teach specific strands of the PE curriculum in 52.9% of schools, with Games being the strand most provided. While this provision is taking place, most teachers stay with their class and assist (61.9%). Conclusion Results show external providers are extensively used in Irish primary schools to supplement PE provision rather than solely providing extracurricular PA. Games being the most commonly delivered strand by external providers is reflective of the number of sports coaches providing this service to schools. Teachers using extracurricular PA as their PE can be problematic as external providers often lack suitable qualifications and provision may not align with PE curriculum guidelines. Support is needed for schools to provide good quality PE and approaches such as regulating the use of external providers or engaging specialist PE teachers to support delivery should be examined in order to improve PE in Irish primary schools.

Effects of School Physical Education on the Exercise Habits of Children and Adolescents: An Empirical Analysis Using China Health and Nutrition Survey Data.

Since 2002, the Chinese Ministry of Education has conducted reform in the physical education (PE) curriculums of schools in China, with a focus on shifting from sports skills to regular participation in physical activity (PA) and promoting health. The aim of the study, therefore, is to examine the effects of school PE on the exercise habits of children and adolescents in China over time. Data based on 5941 observations of 3708 individuals aged 6 to 17 were collected from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) for the period 2004 to 2015. The data were analyzed using the fixed-effect Logit model and the random-effect Tobit model. The likelihood of exercising outside of school is 20.2% higher for students who have school PE than those who do not. Our study found that increasing the duration of PE at school by 100%, increases the duration of out-of-school PA by 22.3%. The variety of the types of sports schools offer encourages students to participate in out-of-school physical activity. The likelihood of students exercising outside of school increases by 5.6% when 1 more exercise type is provided in school PE. In addition, soccer, basketball, badminton, and volleyball education increases students' participation in after-school exercises. Soccer and basketball education, in particular, improves the duration of after-school PA. To form exercise habits in children and adolescents, we encourage the promotion of a variety of physical activities in schools, especially team sports such as soccer and basketball.

S14-3 Finnish On the Move Programme Family: Finnish Schools on the Move

Abstract Purpose Finnish On the Move Programme promotes a physically active lifestyle throughout the lifespan for different demographic groups. It is financed by the Ministry of Education and Culture. One of the programmes of this entity is Finnish Schools on the Move, which is a research-based programme for promoting physical activity in schools. Project description Schools on the Move programme has been developed in Finland since 2010 and has grown from a pilot of 45 schools into a programme that covers more than 90 per cent of Finnish schools in basic education. In ten years, we have managed to increase the awareness of the importance of physical activity in Finland. More than 90 per cent of all comprehensive schools in Finland are Schools on the Move. As a result, the school culture has become more physically active: a positive change has been observed in the organisation of activities and school premises, movement has been added to lessons and more attention has been paid to less active pupils. Based on national level physical activity surveys the proportion of 11-15-years olds meeting the physical activity recommendation has slightly increased from 18% to 29% in girls and from 30% to 35% for boys between 2010 and 2018. (Finland’s Report Card 2022. Physical Activity for Children and Youth). The Schools on the Move programme has been part of the implementation of the government programme in Finland since 2010. Between 2015 and 2019 it was one of the Government’s key projects in knowledge and education. Conclusions The objective of the programme is to increase physical activity among school-age children by making the operating culture at schools more active in various ways. Linking research and monitoring with the implementation of the programme, the strong bottom-up ideology of the school-oriented approach and the extensive cooperation networks, as well as strong commitment from the government and state funding, have been central success areas in the implementation of the programme.

O.4.3-8 Associations of subjective social status with physical activity and sedentary time among lower secondary school students

Abstract Purpose The low level of physical activity among young people has become a common societal concern. This study sought new information on the background to adolescents’ physical activity. The aim was to determine whether adolescents’ subjective social status is related to their physical activity. Methods The data was collected as part of follow-up research and evaluation of the Finnish Schools on the Move programme in 2012–2015. The data was collected through student surveys, measuring adolescents’ physical activity with accelerometers, and observing and interviewing secondary school students. The associations between adolescents’ subjective social status and physical activity, as well as the factors related to the subjective social status were studied using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Results Adolescents’ subjective social status was associated with physical activity. The subjective social status in school was positively associated with whole-day moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity. Adolescents’ high perceived social status in school was significantly associated with physical activity among boys and girls during break times, participation in planning break-time activities among girls, and participation in arranging common school events among boys and girls. Subjective social status in school was negatively associated with sedentary time in school. A high subjective social status in school was also associated with more opportunities for activity created with schoolmates. A high subjective social status was also associated with a wider environment for physical activities in school, which were related to the interactive relationships between adolescents. There were school premises that not everyone had access to, and one limiting factor may be the low subjective social status in school. Conclusions The different subjective experiences of school-based social networks are linked to adolescents’ physical activity and should be taken into account when considering the possibilities of increasing adolescents’ physical activity. Although the foundation of an active lifestyle is largely built on one’s own family, the school still has the potential to compensate for differences in family background with its own actions. These interventions should place greater emphasis on peer relations and youth participation rather than the role of school staff. Support/Funding Source The Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland.

S14-5 Girls Active and Change4Life Sports Club - two effective programmes to increase physical activity in schools and colleges

Abstract Purpose Girls Active aims to tackle declining participation in physical activity of girls aged 10 to 18 and its associated implications on health, wellbeing and education. Change4Life Sports Clubs are designed to address inactivity in 7 to 11 year olds and improve healthy lifestyle behaviours with exercise, food and hydration. Both projects aim to reduce physical inactivity of those children suffering the greatest challenges to achieving the recommended daily physical activity level of an average of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. Project description Both programmes were developed from evidence reviews and principles that work to engage, inspire and motivate targeted groups of children to be active. They were both developed by the children’s charity Youth Sport Trust, who have used sport and play to improve the lives of children and young people since 1995. They were co-designed with children and implemented through a national network of 450 School Games Organisers. Youth Sports Trust’s ‘content, delivery, structure’ model was used. For Girls Active we used the Active Lives Children Data from Sport England and Change4Life Sports Clubs were aligned to the Department of Health’s National Child Measurement Programme data to target where the programmes were most needed and to ensure that the right groups of children and young people were included in the interventions. Both programmes have been externally evaluated through academic partners using pre and post survey data, case studies and control elements and achieved high quality evidence scores. Both programmes have been scaled through a variety of funding streams including London 2012 Olympic Legacy, Sport England Lottery, Corporate Social Responsibility budgets and local public health funding. Girls Active has been adopted in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Conclusions We will share the evidence-based principles that have made these two approaches highly effective in addressing inactivity in primary school aged children and adolescent girls that can be applied in multiple contexts and will share resources and content that can be accessed following the session.

O.6.3-10 Investigating the impact of a school garden intervention on children’s school motivation, climate literacy, food literacy and physical activity: the FoodACT protocol

Abstract Background Globally, too many children are not sufficient physically active and have unhealthy food habits with the highest prevalence seen in families with low socio-economic-status (SES). Previous research has stated that schools are considered a key setting for promoting children physical activity (PA), food literacy (FL) and to improve their social health. School gardens is exactly such an intervention where teaching is relocated to an outdoor setting. Relocation of teaching, which is a central ingredient of school gardens, has shown to be positively related to increased PA in both boys and girls during the school day. School gardens aim towards practical experience and education in food and climate. PA is not I focus, but the school garden learning environment provides pupils opportunities to be active. Therefore, the FoodACT study aims to investigate how a school gardening intervention impact pupils school motivation, CL, FL and PA with a special attention on children with low SES. Methods The FoodACT study is designed in three sub-studies. An efficacy study, quantifying the effects of school gardens using a pre-post quasi-experimental design measuring the pupils’ FL, CL and SM. A within-subject-design association study, quantifying the influence of the school garden activities on pupils PA at two sessional periods during the intervention. An association study, investigating the contextual characteristics of the school garden activities using the systematic observations instrument, The Physical Activity Research and Assessment tool for Garden Observation (PARAGON), which can capture pupils’ movements and motions categorised in ‘overall PA-level’, ‘garden-related tasks’, ‘garden related motions’, ‘social associations’, and ‘interaction’. The observations is supplemented by pupil focus-group interviews about their experience of the school garden intervention. Results Study design, recruitment experience and pilot-study data on PA and garden activity observations will be presented. Funding The FoodACT study is funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation (Grant no: 077522).

O.6.1-3 The association between education outside the classroom, intrinsic school motivation, and physical activity in primary school pupils

Abstract Purpose The decline of school motivation over a school year is a common issue that can have negative impacts on academic achievement and children's health. Education outside the classroom (EOtC) has been shown to positively affect intrinsic school motivation and physical activity (PA) in previous studies. However, the relationship between motivation and PA during EOtC remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the association between EOtC and intrinsic school motivation and what role PA has in this association. Methods Cross-sectional data from the Danish MOVEOUT study intervention group were collected from 225 primary school pupils aged 10-15 from 15 different school classes from September 2022 to February 2023. Intrinsic school motivation was measured by Intrinsic Motivation Inventory and Psychological Need Satisfaction Scales (BPNSS) items at pupil-level immediately after two EOtC and two non-EOtC schooldays. PA was measured with wrist band worn Axivity® AX3 accelerometers. Data was analysed with linear mixed models. Results The study found a positive association between EOtC and higher levels of school motivation. The study also found associations between PA and intrinsic motivation, indicating that more time spent in sedentary behavior was associated with less school motivation, while more time in light intensity activity was associated with higher school motivation. However, the data did not support that PA moderates the association between EOtC and school motivation. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that EOtC have a positive impact on pupil’s school motivation. We therefore recommend the use of EOtC to enhance intrinsic motivation. The study also highlights the importance of reducing sedentary behavior during school days. These findings can inform education policymakers and teachers in designing learning environments, lessons, and activities that promote pupils’ motivation and academic and personal growth. Funding Novo Nordisk Foundation (Grant no. 0062703).

O.6.3-5 A national audit into the different levels of typical school provision of physical education, physical activity and sports in the Republic of Ireland

Abstract International guidelines recommend sixty-minutes of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (PA) daily for adolescents (WHO, 2020). Prevalence of physical inactivity is high and is regarded as a leading risk factor for death worldwide, contributing to the onset of non-communicable diseases with just 20% of adolescents meeting the recommended PA guidelines (Guthold et al., 2020). Physical inactivity cost $67.5 billion worldwide in 2013 and is estimated to reach over €110 billion in 2030 (WHO, 2022). Despite the worldwide adoption of school PE, PA and sport policies to promote PA and health, paralleled with significant investment, a gap in the literature exists that audits the different levels of typical school provision of PE, PA and sports. Participating schools (n = 112) completed the validated PE, PA and sports provision evaluation index. A One-way ANOVA with Tukey Kramer's Post-Hoc test was performed to examine variation in the demographic profile relative to the indicators of provision. A proposed grade for each indicator of provision was established using a standardized, international grading system. Half of schools had no outdoor all-weather surface (54.5%). Two thirds had no facilities to accommodate active transport (66.1%). One in five felt the percentage of the budget given towards PE, PA and sports was inadequate (19.6%). Regarding indicators of provision, partnerships received the lowest grade (C-) while facilities and equipment received the highest grade (B-). Provision scores for personnel were significantly higher for mixed schools (girls/boys) in comparison to girls schools. Provision scores for budget and partnerships were significantly higher for larger schools (&amp;gt;800) then small schools (&amp;lt;300). The evidence suggests that while there has been a significant shift in focus both in policy development and the availability of financial resources to enhance typical school provision of PE, PA and sports for adolescent health, considerable modification of existing provision is required to potentiate positive impact.

S1-1 Whole systems approaches to the promotion of school-based physical activity

Abstract Physical inactivity increases the risk of physical and mental ill-health and lower academic performance during childhood and is therefore a key public health priority. Whole-school approaches (WSA) are recommended as part of a system-wide approach to tackling physical inactivity. WSAs focus on aligning school policies, environments, school stakeholders and opportunities for physical activity within and beyond the school day. Yet, review-level evidence deems current WSAs ineffective due to: a lack of understanding of what constitutes a whole-school physical activity approach, programmes not considering schools as complex adaptive systems, limited multi-stakeholder input in programme design and poor use of implementation theory within programme design and delivery. Therefore, initiatives fail to overcome the systemic barriers affecting the adoption and development of new school practices. As a result, schools fail to adapt unique, context-specific policies to address environmental and stakeholder needs and are insufficient to improve children’s physical activity. This symposium will present applied research relevant to the practice of whole systems approaches to whole school physical activity promotion in different European country contexts. In doing so, relevant work which addresses the interrelationships within and across levels of influence of the system will be presented, with the implications for practice, research and policy in the context of future challenges in this area, discussed.

S1-3 Creating Active Schools

Abstract Purpose The Creating Active Schools Framework was co-developed in June 2019 by 50 national and international stakeholders (teachers, headteachers, active school coordinators, Public Health leads, Active Partnership school leads, UK and international researchers, national sport and education organisations, members of the local delivery pilots). The co-developed CAS programme takes a professional development approach to support schools to review current provision and make evidence-informed decisions to address school policy, environments, and stakeholder behaviour to improve opportunities for children to be physically active (https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-020-0917-z). Project description Since conception, the framework has been adopted by practice and has currently scaled to work across 18 localities in England and over 200 schools. As part of this journey, the development of the online profiling tool (https://www.creatingactiveschools.org), a central piece of the intervention approach that places professional development for physical activity at the heart of the school community will be shared. Key learning on drawing partners and stakeholders from across, policy, research and practice together will be provided as well as an overview of the planned wider rollout of CAS (adding a further 20 localities and 200 schools from Sept 2023). Plans for the interdisciplinary evaluation of the implementation of CAS at scale and the cost(effectiveness) of the programme under naturalistic conditions will be provided. Conclusions CAS, the UK’s first large-scale whole school physical activity programme, is uniquely placed to provide much-needed evidence to inform government investment and educational reform on how to scale health-based interventions under real-word conditions.