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 .
A community intervention reduces BMI z-score in children: Shape Up Somerville first year results.
OBJECTIVE The objective was to test the hypothesis that a community-based environmental change intervention could prevent weight gain  in young children ( 7.6 + /- 1.0 years ) . RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES A non-r and omized controlled trial was conducted in three culturally diverse urban cities in Massachusetts . Somerville was the intervention community ; two socio-demographically-matched cities were  control communities . Children ( n = 1178 ) in grade s 1 to 3 attending public elementary schools participated in an intervention design ed to bring the energy equation into balance by increasing physical activity options and availability of healthful foods within the before- , during- , after-school , home , and community environments . Many groups and individuals within the community ( including children , parents , teachers , school food service providers , city departments , policy makers , healthcare providers , before- and after-school programs , restaurants , and the media ) were engaged in the intervention . The main outcome measure was change in BMI z-score . RESULTS At baseline , 44 % ( n = 385 ) , 36 % ( n = 561 ) , and 43 % ( n = 232 ) of children were above the 85th percentile for BMI z-score in the intervention and the two control communities , respectively . In the intervention community , BMI z-score decreased by -0.1005 ( p = 0.001 , 95 % confidence interval , -0.1151 to -0.0859 ) compared with children in the control communities after controlling for baseline covariates . DISCUSSION A community-based environmental change intervention decreased BMI z-score  in children at high risk for obesity . These results are significant given the obesigenic environmental backdrop against which the intervention occurred . This model demonstrates promise for communities throughout the country confronted with escalating childhood obesity rates
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 .