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 .
Reducing obesity via a school-based interdisciplinary intervention among youth: Planet Health.
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of a school-based health behavior intervention known as Planet Health on obesity among boys and girls in grade s 6 to 8 . DESIGN R and omized , controlled field trial with 5 intervention and 5 control schools . Outcomes were assessed using preintervention ( fall 1995 ) and follow-up measures ( spring 1997 ) , including prevalence , incidence , and remission of obesity . PARTICIPANTS A group of 1295 ethnically diverse grade 6 and 7 students from public schools in 4 Massachusetts communities . INTERVENTION Students participated in a school-based interdisciplinary intervention over 2 school years . Planet Health sessions were included within existing curricula using classroom teachers in 4 major subjects and physical education . Sessions focused on decreasing television viewing , decreasing consumption of high-fat foods , increasing fruit and vegetable intake , and increasing moderate and vigorous physical activity . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Obesity was defined as a composite indicator based on both a body mass index and a triceps skinfold value greater than or equal to age- and sex-specific 85th percentiles . Because schools were r and omized , rather than students , the generalized estimating equation method was used to adjust for individual-level covariates under cluster r and omization . RESULTS The prevalence of obesity among girls in intervention schools was reduced compared with controls , controlling for baseline obesity ( odds ratio , 0.47 ; 95 % confidence interval , 0.24 - 0.93 ; P = .03 ) , with no differences found among boys . There was greater remission of obesity among intervention girls vs. control girls ( odds ratio , 2.16 ; 95 % confidence interval , 1.07 - 4.35 ; P = .04 ) . The intervention reduced television hours among both girls and boys , and increased fruit and vegetable consumption and result ed in a smaller increment in total energy intake among girls . Reductions in television viewing predicted obesity change and mediated the intervention effect . Among girls , each hour of reduction in television viewing predicted reduced obesity prevalence ( odds ratio , 0.85 ; 95 % confidence interval , 0.75 - 0.97 ; P = .02 ) . CONCLUSION Planet Health decreased obesity among female students , indicating a promising school-based approach to reducing obesity among youth
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 .