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Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique logoLink to Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique
. 2010 Jul 1;101(Suppl 2):S9–S13. doi: 10.1007/BF03405618

Policy Options to Support Physical Activity in Schools

Politiques favorisant l’activité physique dans les écoles

François Lagarde 12,✉, Claire M A LeBlanc 22
PMCID: PMC6974204  PMID: 21137137

Abstract

Rates of child and youth obesity and associated chronic diseases are rising worldwide, in part as a result of inadequate physical activity (PA) levels. Environmental change is needed in multiple settings to encourage the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviours at an early age. Schools are an ideal setting in which to incorporate a variety of interventions in order to improve student PA levels and healthy eating environments. This paper reviews effective and promising policies for increasing PA levels in the school setting and introduces other untested interventions that could become the basis of future well-designed studies. Policies outlined in this review should be considered by a range of stakeholders and be carefully monitored and evaluated. These policies should include daily, quality, safe physical education and physical activity; extracurricular physical activity; training of physical activity leaders; active transportation to and from school; adequate facilities; and community outreach. Successful school initiatives and stakeholders should also be recognized formally for their contribution.

Electronic Supplementary Material

Supplementary material is available for this article at 10.1007/BF03405618 and is accessible for authorized users.

Key words: Policies, physical activity, school

French language version/Version en Français

41997_2010_BF03405618_MOESM1_ESM.pdf (155.2KB, pdf)

Politiques favorisant l’activité physique dans les écoles

Footnotes

Acknowledgements: The authors thank the following individuals who provided invaluable input and reviewed earlier versions of the background paper: Dr. Tim Armstrong, Louise Aubrey, Lilianne Bertrand, Tilly de Bruin, Greg Butler, Vanessa Candeias, Joe Doiron, Heather Hoult, Sarah Lambert, Lisa Mawani, Sonia McGeorge, Dr. Mary McKenna, Dwayne A. Provo, Dr. Art Salmon, Dr. Mark Tremblay, Dr. Paul J. Veugelers, Heather Willoughby.

Conflict of Interest: None to declare.

Remerciements: Les auteurs remercient les personnes suivantes pour avoir fourni une précieuse contribution et avoir examiné les premières versions du document de travail: Dr Tim Armstrong, Louise Aubrey, Lilianne Bertrand, Tilly de Bruin, Greg Butler, Vanessa Candeias, Joe Doiron, Heather Hoult, Sarah Lambert, Lisa Mawani, Sonia McGeorge, Dre Mary McKenna, Dwayne A. Provo, Dr Art Salmon, Dr Mark Tremblay, Dr Paul J. Veugelers, Heather Willoughby.

Conflit d’intérêts: Aucun à déclarer.

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