There was some evidence that school-based physical activity interventions had a positive impact on four of the nine outcome measures .
Specifically positive effects were observed for duration of physical activity , television viewing , VO2 max , and blood cholesterol .
Generally , school-based interventions had little effect on physical activity rates , systolic and diastolic blood pressure , BMI , and pulse rate .
At a minimum , a combination of printed educational material s and changes to the school curriculum that promote physical activity result ed in positive effects .
Few changes in outcomes were observed in this up date with the exception of blood cholesterol and physical activity rates .
For example blood cholesterol was no longer positively impacted upon by school-based physical activity interventions .
The evidence suggests the ongoing implementation of school-based physical activity interventions at this time , given the positive effects on behavior and one physical health status measure .
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization ( WHO ) estimates that 1.9 million deaths worldwide are attributable to physical inactivity and at least 2.6 million deaths are a result of being overweight or obese .
In addition , WHO estimates that physical inactivity causes 10 % to 16 % of cases each of breast cancer , colon , and rectal cancers as well as type 2 diabetes , and 22 % of coronary heart disease and the burden of these and other chronic diseases has rapidly increased in recent decades .
OBJECTIVES The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize the evidence of the effectiveness of school-based interventions in promoting physical activity and fitness in children and adolescents .
Data from the StEP TWO programme showing the effect on blood pressure and different parameters for obesity in overweight and obese primary school children.
UNLABELLED Obesity in childhood , which is associated with cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension , is on the increase . Counter measures are necessary . In this paper , we present the baseline and final data from the StEP TWO programme , a prospect i ve study to prevent overweight and obesity in primary schools . METHODS We recorded and calculated , from 1689 children , anthropometric data , including analyses of bioelectric impedance , waist and hip circumferences , body mass index and its st and ard deviation , and the ratio of waist to hip . Blood pressure was measured after 5 minutes at rest . From the three schools involved in a programme of intervention , 121 children were invited to take part , and 40 ( 33.1 per cent ) completed the programme . The effect was compared with 155 overweight and obese children identified at the 4 control schools . RESULTS 830 ( 49.5 per cent ) boys and 848 girls ( 50.5 per cent ) took part . Their mean age was 8.2 plus or minus 1.3 years , their height was 1.31 plus or minus 0.09 metres , they weighed 30.0 plus or minus 8.2 kilograms , and their mean index of body mass was 17.1 plus or minus 2.9 kilograms per metre squared . Of the children , 7.3 per cent were obese , 10.4 per cent were overweight , 75.7 per cent had normal weights , and 6.6 per cent were underweight . Resting hypertension was observed in 2.3 per cent of the children . Increased blood pressure was associated with a higher body weight , body mass index , st and ard deviation score for body mass index , and waist and hip circumferences ( each p < 0.001 ) , but not with the ratio of waist to hip . Hypertension at rest was also found in 11.0 per cent of obese children , 4.4 per cent of those who were overweight , 1.2 per cent of those with normal weight , and 1.0 per cent of underweight children ( p < 0.001 ) . After the intervention , the increase of the body mass index tended to be lower in those in whom we had intervened ( p = 0.069 ) , and in these the decrease of the st and ard deviation score for body mass index was significantly higher ( p = 0.028 ) . Systolic blood pressure was reduced by about 10 millimetres of mercury in those in whom we had intervened ( p = 0.002 ) , while there were no changes in the control group . Diastolic blood pressure was lowered by 3 millimetres of mercury , but this was not significant . CONCLUSION Obese children had the highest values for systolic and diastolic blood pressure . Increased levels of blood pressure are associated with other parameters of obesity , such as the circumference of the waist and hip . Early preventive measurements in childhood are necessary , and appropriate intervention appears to be effective
There was some evidence that school-based physical activity interventions had a positive impact on four of the nine outcome measures .
Specifically positive effects were observed for duration of physical activity , television viewing , VO2 max , and blood cholesterol .
Generally , school-based interventions had little effect on physical activity rates , systolic and diastolic blood pressure , BMI , and pulse rate .
At a minimum , a combination of printed educational material s and changes to the school curriculum that promote physical activity result ed in positive effects .
Few changes in outcomes were observed in this up date with the exception of blood cholesterol and physical activity rates .
For example blood cholesterol was no longer positively impacted upon by school-based physical activity interventions .
The evidence suggests the ongoing implementation of school-based physical activity interventions at this time , given the positive effects on behavior and one physical health status measure .
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization ( WHO ) estimates that 1.9 million deaths worldwide are attributable to physical inactivity and at least 2.6 million deaths are a result of being overweight or obese .
In addition , WHO estimates that physical inactivity causes 10 % to 16 % of cases each of breast cancer , colon , and rectal cancers as well as type 2 diabetes , and 22 % of coronary heart disease and the burden of these and other chronic diseases has rapidly increased in recent decades .
OBJECTIVES The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize the evidence of the effectiveness of school-based interventions in promoting physical activity and fitness in children and adolescents .