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 .
Primary prevention of chronic disease in childhood: changes in risk factors after one year of intervention.
A five-year intervention study of the feasibility and effectiveness of a program aim ed at the primary prevention of chronic disease was initiated in 1980 among children in 22 elementary schools in the Bronx , New York . Schools r and omly were assigned either to the intervention program or to a control group . The intervention program consists of a curriculum focusing on nutrition , physical fitness , and cigarette smoking prevention . The study population at baseline comprised 2,283 fourth- grade rs . Subjects were eligible at baseline and at one-year follow-up for participation in a medical examination in which the following target risk factors were measured : systolic and diastolic blood pressures , plasma total and high-density lipoprotein ( HDL ) cholesterol , serum thiocyanate , ponderosity index , triceps skinfold thickness , and postexercise pulse recovery rate . After one year of intervention , systolic pressure increased less in the intervention group than among controls . Diastolic pressure decreased in both groups , but more in the intervention subjects than in controls . Total cholesterol decreased in the intervention group while increasing among controls . Significant net changes in the favorable direction also were observed for total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio and for thiocyanate . These observations indicate that it is feasible to implement a school-based program aim ed at the primary prevention of chronic disease . The intervention program appears to have had a favorable effect on several target risk factors . Although the effects were relatively small , intervention programs in schools may prove to be effective in lowering chronic disease risk
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 .