Health Topics
Physical Activity
School and Community Guidelines

Summary

Young people can build healthy bodies and establish healthy lifestyles by including physical activity in their daily lives. However, many young people are not physically active on a regular basis, and physical activity declines dramatically during adolescence. School and community programs can help young people get active and stay active.

Benefits of Regular Physical Activity

• Improves strength and endurance.
• Helps build healthy bones and muscles.
• Helps control weight.
• Reduces anxiety and stress and increases self-esteem.
• May improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Percentage of High School Students Participating in Physical Activity and Physical Education, by Sex 2007²

^a Any kind of physical activity that increased heart rate and made them breathe hard some of the time for at least 60 minutes per day on 5 or more of the 7 days preceding the survey
^b Attended physical education classes 5 days in an average week when they were in school

Consequences of Physical Inactivity

• Inactivity during childhood and adolescence increases the likelihood of being inactive as an adult. Adults who are less active are at greater risk of dying of heart disease and developing diabetes, colon cancer, and high blood pressure.¹

Overweight Among Youth

• The prevalence of overweight among children aged 6-11 has more than doubled in the past 20 years, increasing from 7% in 1980 to 18.8% in 2004.³
• Children and adolescents who are overweight are more likely to be overweight or obese as adults; overweight adults are at increased risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer, and gallbladder disease.⁴

Physical Activity Among Young People

• Thirty-five percent of high school students had participated in at least 60 minutes/day of physical activity on 5 or more of the 7 days preceding the survey.²
• Twenty-five percent of high school students did not participate in 60 or more minutes of any kind of physical activity that increased their heart rate or made them breathe hard some of the time on at least 1 day during the 7 days before the survey (i.e., did not participate in 60 or more minutes of physical activity on any day).²
• Over half (54%) of high school students (67% of 9th grade students but only 41% of 12th grade students) attended physical education classes in 2007.²
• The percentage of high school students who attended physical education classes daily decreased from 42% in 1991 to 25% in 1995, and has remained stable at that level until 2007 (30%). In 2007, 40% of 9th grade students but only 24% of 12th grade students attended physical education class daily.²

Young people can benefit from being physically active on most, if not all, days of the week. This should include both moderate and vigorous physical activity.

Examples of moderate activity include:

• Brisk walking
• Bicycling
• Playing actively
• Dancing

Examples of vigorous activity include:

• Running
• Jumping rope
• In-line or roller skating
• Skipping

CDC抯 Guidelines for Schools to Promote Lifelong Physical Activity

CDC抯 Guidelines for School and Community Programs to Promote Lifelong Physical Activity Among Young People were developed in collaboration with experts from other federal agencies, state agencies, universities, volunteer organizations, and professional associations. They are based on an extensive review of research and practice.

Key Principles

• Emphasize enjoyable participation in physical activities that are easily done throughout life.
• Offer a diverse range of noncompetitive and competitive activities appropriate for different ages and abilities.
• Give young people the skills and confidence they need to be physically active.
• Promote physical activity through all components of a coordinated school health program and develop links between school and community programs.

Recommendations

The guidelines include 10 recommendations for ensuring quality physical activity programs.

1. Policy
   Establish policies that promote enjoyable, lifelong physical activity.
   • Schools should require daily physical education and comprehensive health education (including lessons on physical activity) in grades K�.
   • Schools and community organizations should provide adequate funding, equipment, and supervision for programs that meet the needs and interests of all students.
      
2. Environment
   Provide physical and social environments that encourage and enable young people to engage in safe and enjoyable physical activity.
   • Provide access to safe spaces and facilities and implement measures to prevent activity-related injuries and illnesses.
   • Provide school time, such as recess, for unstructured
     physical activity, such as jumping rope.
   • Discourage the use or withholding of physical activity as punishment.
   • Provide health promotion programs for school faculty and staff.
      
3. Physical Education
   Implement sequential physical education curricula and instruction in grades K� that:
   • Emphasize enjoyable participation in lifetime physical activities such as walking and dancing, not just competitive sports.
   • Help students develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need to adopt and maintain a physically active lifestyle.
   • Follow the National Standards for Physical Education.
   • Keep students active for most of class time.
      
4. Health Education
   Implement health education curricula and instruction that:
   • Feature active learning strategies and follow the National Health Education Standards.
   • Help students develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need to adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
      
5. Extracurricular Activities
   Provide extracurricular physical activity programs that offer diverse, developmentally appropriate activities梑oth noncompetitive and competitive梖or all students.
    
6. Family Involvement
   Encourage parents and guardians to support their children抯 participation in physical activity, to be physically active role models, and to include physical activity in family events.
    
7. Training
   Provide training to enable teachers, coaches, recreation and health care staff, and other school and community personnel to promote enjoyable, lifelong physical activity among young people.
    
8. Health Services
   Assess the physical activity patterns of young people, refer them to appropriate physical activity programs, and advocate for physical activity instruction and programs for young people.
    
9. Community Programs
   Provide a range of developmentally appropriate community sports and recreation programs that are attractive to all young people.
    
10. Evaluation
    Regularly evaluate physical activity instruction, programs, and facilities.
     

May 2006

References

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical activity guidelines advisory committee report. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008
    
2. CDC. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance桿nited States, 2007 [pdf 1M] Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report 2008;57(No.SS-4).
    
3. Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Flegal KM. High Body Mass Index for Age Among US Children and Adolescents, 2003-2006. JAMA. 2008;299(20):2401-2405.
    
�
4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General's call to action to prevent and decrease overweight and obesity. [Rockville, MD]: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General; [2001]. Available from: U.S. GPO, Washington.

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Page last reviewed: October 28, 2008
Page last modified: October 28, 2008
Content source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Adolescent and School Health

Division of Adolescent and School Health
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services