CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Behavioral and Social: Enhanced School-Based Physical Education
CDC
An Evidence-Based Practice
Description
This review evaluated the effectiveness of enhancing physical education (PE) curricula by making classes longer or having students be more active during class in order to increase the amount of time students spend doing moderate or vigorous activity in PE class.
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends implementing programs that increase the length of, or activity levels in, school-based physical education classes based on strong evidence of their effectiveness in improving both physical activity levels and physical fitness among school-aged children and adolescents.
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends implementing programs that increase the length of, or activity levels in, school-based physical education classes based on strong evidence of their effectiveness in improving both physical activity levels and physical fitness among school-aged children and adolescents.
Impact
Enhanced school-based physical education is recommended to increase physical activity based on strong evidence of effectiveness in increasing the amount of time students spend in moderate- or vigorous- intensity physical activity during PE classes. Enhanced school=based PE resulted in 10 percentage points more PE class time engaged in moderate- or vigorous-intensity physical activity as compared to standard PE classes.
Results / Accomplishments
Results from the Systematic Reviews:
Fourteen studies qualified for the review.
• In all 14 studies reviewed, students' physical fitness improved.
• All five studies measuring activity levels during PE class recorded increases in the: (1) Number of minutes spent in moderate or vigorous physical activity; (2) Percentage of class time spent in moderate or vigorous physical activity, and/or (3) Intensity level of physical activity during class.
• The median estimates from the reviewed studies suggest that modifying school PE curricula as recommended will result in an 8% increase in aerobic fitness among school-aged children.
• Many interventions reviewed included: (1) Changing the activities taught (e.g., substituting soccer for softball); (2) Modifying the rules of the game so that students are more active (e.g., in softball, have the entire team run the bases together when the batter makes a base hit); (3) Health education.
• Modified school PE curricula were effective across diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, among boys and girls, elementary- and high-school students, and in urban and rural settings.
• A separate literature review found that having students attend school PE classes was not found to harm academic performance.
Fourteen studies qualified for the review.
• In all 14 studies reviewed, students' physical fitness improved.
• All five studies measuring activity levels during PE class recorded increases in the: (1) Number of minutes spent in moderate or vigorous physical activity; (2) Percentage of class time spent in moderate or vigorous physical activity, and/or (3) Intensity level of physical activity during class.
• The median estimates from the reviewed studies suggest that modifying school PE curricula as recommended will result in an 8% increase in aerobic fitness among school-aged children.
• Many interventions reviewed included: (1) Changing the activities taught (e.g., substituting soccer for softball); (2) Modifying the rules of the game so that students are more active (e.g., in softball, have the entire team run the bases together when the batter makes a base hit); (3) Health education.
• Modified school PE curricula were effective across diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, among boys and girls, elementary- and high-school students, and in urban and rural settings.
• A separate literature review found that having students attend school PE classes was not found to harm academic performance.
About this Promising Practice
Primary Contact
The Community Guide
1600 Clifton Rd, NE
MS E69
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 498-1827
communityguide@cdc.gov
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/
1600 Clifton Rd, NE
MS E69
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 498-1827
communityguide@cdc.gov
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/
Topics
Health / Physical Activity
Education / Student Performance K-12
Education / Student Performance K-12
Source
Community Guide Branch Epidemiology and Analysis Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Location
USA
For more details
Target Audience
Children, Teens
Additional Audience
Students