Abstract
Objectives
Public policies impact the amount of physical activity (PA) that children receive at school. These policies are of interest because overweight and obesity among Canadian children have grown at significant rates, and increasing PA among children is one way to reverse this trend. This research investigates the public policy processes that have resulted in Alberta’s education system adopting in-school daily physical activity (DPA) and not supporting walk-to-school (WTS) initiatives.
Methods
Using the policy process described by Kingdon and others as a conceptual framework, this research reviews literature and documents on public policy relating to PA in schools and interviews key individuals (N=20) to identify the policy-related facilitators and barriers in Alberta, Canada to increasing PA in school-aged children.
Results
DPA was mandated because Kingdon’s three policy streams (problem, solution and politics) became joined or linked. DPA was the most viable solution because literature supports and teachers believe in the educational benefits of PA. As well, a physician with personal beliefs about the benefits of PA became the minister of education and coupled the solution with the political stream through his ministerial power. Reasons that WTS programs have not become school or health policy include advocacy led by politically weak organizations, lack of a supportive policy entrepreneur and poor saliency among educators.
Conclusions
This research illuminates the inner workings of the policy process shaping PA in schools, identifying the unseen forces of the policy process that move issues forward. The findings provide valuable insight for building other healthy public policies.
Key words: Public policy, physical activity, schools
Résumé
Objectifs
Les politiques publiques ont une influence sur l’activité physique des enfants à l’école. Ces politiques nous intéressent du fait que le surpoids et l’obésité augmentent beaucoup chez les enfants canadiens, et qu’accroître l’activité physique chez les enfants est un moyen de renverser cette tendance. Nous avons étudié les processus de politiques publiques qui ont poussé le système d’éducation de l’Alberta à adopter l’activité physique quotidienne (APQ) à l’école au lieu des initiatives encourageant les enfants à se rendre à l’école à pied (EAP).
Méthode
En utilisant comme cadre conceptuel le processus de politique décrit entre autres par Kingdon, nous avons examiné les articles publiés et les documents de politique publique liés à l’activité physique dans les écoles et interrogé des informateurs (N=20) afin de repérer les éléments des politiques qui facilitent ou qui entravent l’augmentation de l’activité physique chez les enfants d’âge scolaire en Alberta, au Canada.
Résultats
Le choix s’est porté sur l’APQ, |car elle réunissait les trois courants distingués par Kingdon (les problèmes, les solutions et la politique). L’APQ était la solution la plus viable, car les avantages éducatifs de l’activité physique sont attestés dans les articles publiés et admis par les enseignants. De plus, un médecin personnellement convaincu des bénéfices de l’activité physique est devenu ministre de l’Éducation et a « couplé » cette solution avec le courant de la politique grâce à son pouvoir ministériel. Les raisons pour lesquelles on n’a pas intégré de programmes d’EAP dans les politiques scolaires ou de santé sont les suivantes: l’EAP est défendue par des organismes politiquement faibles, elle ne bénéficie pas de l’appui de hauts fonctionnaires, et elle ne jouit pas d’une grande visibilité parmi les enseignants.
Conclusion
Cette étude met en lumière les rouages internes du processus de formulation des politiques qui régit l’activité physique dans les écoles en repérant les forces cachées du processus qui font avancer certains dossiers. Nos constatations donnent des idées précieuses pour l’élaboration d’autres politiques publiques favorisant la santé.
Mots clés: politique publique, activité physique, écoles
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