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 .
Effects of a classroom-based program on physical activity and on-task behavior.
PURPOSE This study evaluated the effects of a classroom-based physical activity program on  children 's in-school physical activity levels  and on-task behavior during academic instruction . METHODS Physical activity of 243 students was assessed during school hours . Intervention-group students ( N = 135 ) received a classroom-based program ( i.e. , Energizers ) . The control group ( N = 108 ) did not receive Energizers .  On-task behavior during academic instruction time was observed for 62 third- grade ( N = 37 ) and fourth- grade students ( N = 25 ) before and after Energizers activities . An independent groups t-test compared in-school physical activity levels between intervention and control classes . A multiple-baseline across-classrooms design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Energizers on on-task behavior . Additionally , a two-way ( time [ pre- vs postobservation ] x period [ baseline vs intervention ] ) repeated- measures analysis of variance compared on-task behavior between observation periods . Magnitudes of mean differences were evaluated with Cohen 's delta ( ES ) . RESULTS Students in the intervention group took significantly ( P < 0.05 ) more in-school steps ( 5587 + /- 1633 ) than control-group students ( 4805 + /- 1543 ) , and the size of this difference was moderate ( ES = 0.49 ) . The intervention was effective in improving on-task behavior ; after the Energizers were systematic ally implemented , on-task behavior systematic ally improved . The improvement in on-task behavior of 8 % between the pre-Energizers and post-Energizers observations was statistically significant ( P < 0.017 ) , and the difference was moderate ( ES = 0.60 ) . Likewise , the least on-task students improved on-task behavior by 20 % after Energizers activities . This improvement was statistically significant ( P < 0.001 ) and meaningful ( ES = 2.20 ) . CONCLUSION A classroom-based physical activity program was effective for increasing daily in-school physical activity and improving on-task behavior during academic instruction
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 .