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 .
Outcomes of a field trial to improve children's dietary patterns and physical activity. The Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health. CATCH collaborative group.
OBJECTIVE To assess the outcomes of health behavior interventions , focusing on the elementary school environment , classroom curricula , and home programs , for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease . DESIGN A r and omized , controlled field trial at four sites with 56 intervention and 40 control elementary schools . Outcomes were assessed using prer and omization measures ( fall 1991 ) and follow-up measures ( spring 1994 ) . PARTICIPANTS A total of 5106 initially third- grade students from ethnically diverse background s in public schools located in California , Louisiana , Minnesota , and Texas . INTERVENTION Twenty-eight schools participated in a third- grade through fifth- grade intervention including school food service modifications , enhanced physical education ( PE ) , and classroom health curricula .  Twenty-eight additional schools received these components plus family education . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES At the school level , two primary end points were changes in the fat content of food service lunch offerings and the amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in the PE programs . At the level of the individual student , serum cholesterol change was the primary end point and was used for power calculations for the study . Individual level secondary end points included psychological factors , recall measures of eating and physical activity patterns , and other physiologic measures . RESULTS In intervention school lunches , the percentage of energy intake from fat fell significantly more ( from 38.7 % to 31.9 % ) than in control lunches ( from 38.9 % to 36.2%)(P<.001 ) . The intensity of physical activity in PE classes during the Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health ( CATCH ) intervention increased significantly in the intervention schools compared with the control schools ( P<.02 ) . Self-reported daily energy intake from fat among students in the intervention schools was significantly reduced ( from 32.7 % to 30.3 % ) compared with that among students in the control schools ( from 32.6 % to 32.2%)(P<.001 ) . Intervention students reported significantly more daily vigorous activity than controls ( 58.6 minutes vs 46.5 minutes ; P<.003 ) . Blood pressure , body size , and cholesterol measures did not differ significantly between treatment groups . No evidence of deleterious effects of this intervention on growth or development was observed . CONCLUSION The CATCH intervention was able to modify the fat content of school lunches , increase moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in PE , and improve eating and physical activity behaviors in children during 3 school years
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 .