Physical Activity Recommendations for Segments of School Days in Adolescents: Support for Health Behavior in Secondary Schools

Abstract

School physical activity (PA) is an indispensable part of daily PA, the foundation for developing lifelong PA and fitness, and an easy way to gain physical and health literacy. School PA is equally important for understanding the continuity of physical and mental health, even in broader psychosocial aspects. Regarding long-term outcomes, significant attention has been paid to the determination of daily and weekly recommendations for adolescent PA. However, comprehensive approaches suggesting recommendations for PA in segments of the school day are rare. This study aimed to (a) provide a rationale for PA recommendations in segments of school days and incorporate it into generally accepted PA recommendations, and (b) promote radical changes in the educational process toward a healthy school lifestyle through PA recommendations in segments of school days. The results of research conducted in 98 secondary schools in the Czech Republic and 104 secondary schools in Poland from 2009 to 2017 were used in this study. In total, 3,860 boys and 5,237 girls from the Czech Republic and 3,052 boys and 3,329 girls from Poland, all aged 15-19, participated. We recommended at least 2,000 steps (or 10 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA) for the before school segment and at least 6,000 steps (or 30 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA) for the after-school segment. For the time spent at school, we further recommended at least 500 steps/h (alternatively, at least 3,000 steps/school time), 20 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA (≥3METs or 60% HRmax), and at least one HRsubmax/max response to significant stress during PA to mitigate educational stress and high levels of sedentary behavior in schools. PA should account for at least 25% of school time, even on days with no scheduled physical education lessons. We propose using PA recommendations in segments of school days to achieve positive changes in the educational process and school lifestyle. Acceptance of PA recommendations in segments of school days theories on physical education could help refine and concretize demands for changes in PA and lifestyle in secondary schools. In practice, it could support the creation of innovative and comprehensive school PA programs. Future research should focus on obtaining evidence in support for adolescent PA by applying PA recommendations in segments of school days.

A Higher Step Count Is Associated with the Better Evaluation of Physical Education Lessons in Adolescents

“…This applies especially to all types of PE lessons of a locomotor (bipedal) nature. This recommendation is also consistent with school PA recommendations [38,54]. Regarding the trends in sedentary behavior in adolescents [61,62], the failure to reach 2000 steps/PE lesson (locomotion-based) should not be justified by any well-intentioned teaching aims of PE.…”

“…Scruggs [42] attempted to simplify the control of the PA level in PE lessons; his indicators are based on steps/min in PE lessons (optimum of 83.6 for boys and 79.8 for girls), and they show better applicability in practice. The current results and our existing experience with the practical application of PA recommendations resulted in a recommendation of 2000 steps/PE lesson in the Central European region [38,54].…”

“…Scruggs [11] suggests 61.3 steps/min in PE if PA accounts for 30% of the PE time, and 83.9 steps/min in the case of PA accounting for 50% of the PE time. For most locomotor-oriented PE lessons, at least 2000 steps/45 min of PE is recommended [38]. However, the questions are: Do we know the level of PA in PE represented by step counts per lesson?…”

The Association between Participation in Organized Physical Activity and the Structure of Weekly Physical Activity in Polish Adolescents

“…Physical activity (PA) is the key factor influencing the health and quality of life of young people, including their school life [ 1 ]. Unfortunately, most studies indicate that children and adolescents in Europe [ 2 ], especially in Central Europe [ 3 ], do not meet the recommendations for PA [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]. Decreasing levels of PA are observed especially in adolescence [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ].…”

Fitness Level Differences between Students in Kosovo and Montenegro

“…In connection with some other destructive trends (sheltering praxis of parents, individualization), a sedentary lifestyle is common among young people [3][4][5][6]. The results from many studies indicate that lifestyle changes in developed countries among young people increases subcutaneous fat tissue [7][8][9], increase the proportion of the overweight population [10][11][12][13][14], and decrease the fitness level, especially endurance and strength capabilities [15][16][17][18]. Most commonly, when measuring the diversity in lifestyles between countries, data are associated with differences in dietary habits, access to sports facilities, and possibilities for engaging in various physical activities, as well as in differences in education and training systems [19,20].…”