School-based physical activity programs for promoting physical activity and fitness in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18

Cochrane Public Health group published a review update in September 2021 to summarise the evidence on effectiveness of school‐based interventions in increasing moderate to vigorous physical activity and improving fitness among children and adolescents 6 to 18 years of age. Specific objectives were:

• to evaluate the effects of school‐based interventions on increasing physical activity and improving fitness among children and adolescents,
• to evaluate the effects of school‐based interventions on improving body composition; and
• to determine whether certain combinations or components (or both) of school‐based interventions are more effective than others in promoting physical activity and fitness in this target population.

This review included 89 studies that evaluated the impact of school-based interventions focused on increasing physical activity among 66,752 children and adolescents. Participants were between the ages of six and 18 from around the world. The length of the interventions ranged from 12 weeks to six years. No two school-based physical activity programs had the same combination of intervention components. The duration, frequency, and intensity of the interventions varied greatly across studies.

Across all included studies only very small changes in the number of students engaging in physical activity or minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity or sedentary time were found. School-based interventions may improve physical fitness but may have little to no impact on body mass index. Very few studies have measured quality of life, or report on any potential harmful effects, such as injuries or psychological harms. Future studies should explore how best to promote uptake of the intervention within the school setting.

The review can be accessed at: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD007651.pub3/full