Less than a third of children are engaging in sufficient physical activity during school hours, according to recent research findings. The study, involving 17,000 students wearing activity trackers, revealed that only 30% of pupils are meeting the recommended daily 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) while at school. Contrary to expectations, the research conducted by Bath University across 165 primary schools in England found that the size of the playground did not correlate with activity levels.
Furthermore, the study also monitored 2,300 teachers wearing activity trackers, showing that more active teachers tended to have more active students, indicating a positive influence on student activity levels. Tim Hollingsworth, a professor of sport at the university, highlighted the concerning results, stating that the findings underscore the failure to prioritize health and physical activity among children and young people.
In some schools, students were only achieving an average of eight minutes of MVPA, while in others, they exceeded 40 minutes, with daily step counts ranging from 1,800 to over 10,000 steps per student. Boys generally exhibited higher activity levels, but in 5% of schools, girls outperformed boys, challenging the common assumption about gender differences in physical activity.
Lead author Georgina Wort emphasized the importance of addressing the health implications of these findings, pointing out the disparities in physical activity levels among schools. The study also revealed that children in schools located in poorer areas engaged in 25 minutes less MVPA per week, suggesting that school leadership and culture may play a role in influencing student activity levels.
Co-author Professor Dylan Thompson suggested utilizing wearable technology to help teachers identify students in need of additional support and to pinpoint times of the school week that are particularly sedentary. He also proposed knowledge-sharing among schools to learn from those with higher levels of physical activity and implement effective strategies to increase activity levels across all schools.