Our Healthier Communities Initiatives are built on the concept that local communities can work together to give all community members healthy choices and support the pursuit of healthy lifestyles.  More than 160 Ys are working in collaboration with community leaders to make changes in policies and the physical surroundings in those communities so that healthy living is within reach for individuals of all ages and backgrounds.

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Active Living Strategy #9: Increase Opportunities for Physical Activity Outside of Physical Education

Including physical activity in everyday curricula contributes to improving classroom behavior and performance and reducing conflict. School-based interventions have been found to be effective in increasing physical activity outside of physical education.

 

Increasing opportunities for physical activity outside physical education through innovative ways has been shown to increase physical activity among students. School-based interventions have been found to be effective in increasing physical activity outside of physical education. Providing classroom activity breaks, adding markings on playgrounds, implementing recess before lunch, providing structured games during recess, and offering afterschool programs have resulted in increased physical activity levels, improvement in classroom behavior, improvement in performance, and less classroom conflict.

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References

1. Ahamed, Y., Macdonald, H., Reed, K., Naylor, P.J., Liu-Ambrose, T., & Mckay, H. (2007). School-based physical activity does not compromise children's academic performance. American and Science in Sports and Exercise, 39(2), 371–376.
2. Annesi, J.J. (2006). Relations of physical self-concept and self-efficacy with frequency of voluntary physical activity in preadolescents: Implications for after-school care programming. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 61, 515–520.
3. Hopper, C., Muonz, K., Gruber, M., MacConnie, S., Schonfeldt, B., & Shunk, T. (1996). A school-based cardiovascular exercise and nutrition program with parent participation: An evaluation study. Children's Health Care, 25(3), 221–235.
4. Mahar, M.T., Murphy, S.K., Rowe, D.A., Golden, J., Shields, T., & Raedke, T.D. (2006). Effects of a classroom-based program on physical activity and on-task behavior. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 38, 2086–2094.
5. Parker-Pope, T. (2010). Play, then eat: Shift may bring gains at school. New York Times. Sharon Elementary School in Robbinsville, N.J.
6. Playworks. (2006–2007). Harvard Family Research Project. Evaluation report: Case study of the first year of Sports4Kids at the Ohrenberger Elementary School in Boston, Massachusetts.
7. Playworks, Baltimore, Maryland (n.d.). From Play Matters, A study of best practices to inform local policy and process in support of children's play, 1–67. Washington, D.C. http://kaboom.org/docs/documents/pdf/playmatters/Play_Matters_Extended_Case_Studies.pdf. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
8. Ridgers, N.D., Stratton, G., Fairclough, S.J., & Twisk, J. (2007). Long-term effects of a playground markings and physical structures on children's recess physical activity levels. Preventive Medicine, 44, 393–397.
9. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2010). The state of play. Gallup Survey of Principals on School Recess. http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/stateofplayrecessreportgallup.pdf. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
10. Stratton, G., & Mullan, E. (2005). The effect of multicolor playground markings on children's physical activity level during recess. Preventive Medicine, 41, 828–833.
11. Trevino, R.P., Yin, Z., Hernandez, A., Hale, D.E., Garcia, O.A., & Mobley, C. (2004). Impact of the Bienestar School-Based Diabetes Mellitus Prevention Program on fasting capillary glucose levels. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 158, 911–917.

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