Exploring activity levels in physical education lessons in the UK: a cross-sectional examination of activity types and fitness levels

Abstract

ObjectivesTo establish pupil fitness levels, and the relationship to global norms and physical education (PE) enjoyment. To measure and describe physical activity (PA) levels during secondary school PE lessons, in the context of recommended levels, and how levels vary with activity and lesson type.MethodsA cross-sectional design; 10 697 pupils aged 12.5 (SD 0.30) years; pupils who completed a multistage fitness test and wore accelerometers to measure PA during PE lessons. Multilevel models estimated fitness and PE activity levels, accounting for school and class-level clustering.ResultsCardiorespiratory fitness was higher in boys than girls (ß=−0.48; 95% CI −0.56 to −0.39, p<0.001), within absolute terms 51% of boys and 54% of girls above the 50th percentile of global norms. On average, pupils spent 23.8% of PE lessons in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), and 7.1% in vigorous PA (VPA). Fitness-focused lessons recorded most VPA in co-educational (ß=1.09; 95% CI 0.43 to 1.74) and boys-only lessons (ß=0.32; 95% CI −0.21 to 0.85). In girls-only lessons, track athletics recorded most VPA (ß=0.13; 95% CI −0.50 to 0.75) and net/wall/racket games (ß=0.97; 95% CI 0.12 to 1.82) the most MVPA. For all lesson types, field athletics was least active (ß=−0.85; 95% CI −1.33 to −0.36). There was a relationship of enjoyment of PE to fitness (ß=1.03; 95% CI 0.83 to 1.23), and this relationship did not vary with sex (ß=−0.14 to 0.23; 95% CI −0.16 to 0.60).ConclusionsPE lessons were inactive compared with current guidelines. We propose that if we are to continue to develop a range of sporting skills in schools at the same time as increasing levels of fitness and PA, there is a need to introduce additional sessions of PE activity focused on increasing physical activity.Trial registration numberNCT03286725.

Analysis of Adolescent Physical Activity Levels and Their Relationship with Body Image and Nutritional Habits

“…Likewise, the HELENA study that measured the level of physical activity and time spent in a sedentary manner in adolescents from nine European countries observed, as in this research, that those who carried out moderate-to-vigorous-intensity activity had high cardiorespiratory fitness and spent less time on sedentary activities, but most adolescents spent most of their time displaying sedentary behavior [ 33 ]. It appears that the relative decline of this moderate-to-intense activity affects both sexes from an early age [ 34 ], decreases over the years [ 30 , 35 ] and is greater in girls [ 30 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 ]. The adequate physical activity level of our study is a good result due to the well-known role of physical activity to prevent premature mortality [ 37 ], improve cardiometabolic health [ 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 ] and aerobic capacity and muscular force [ 8 , 43 , 44 ].…”

Declining fitness and physical education lessons in UK adolescents

“…Although our study was not designed to test the impact of PE lessons on HRF directly, it seems empirically unlikely that there would be no detrimental effects of declining exposure to PE, given the well-known benefits of exercise. These reductions in HRF measures may have been further exacerbated by a change in the type of PE lessons provided 43. Evidence from the Fit to Study project indicated that very few students are performing any significant degree of PA within the PE lesson and the majority of lessons taught are ones in which the lowest levels of PA and exercise intensity are recorded 43.…”

“…These reductions in HRF measures may have been further exacerbated by a change in the type of PE lessons provided 43. Evidence from the Fit to Study project indicated that very few students are performing any significant degree of PA within the PE lesson and the majority of lessons taught are ones in which the lowest levels of PA and exercise intensity are recorded 43. This should lead to further research exploring, which PE lessons produce the highest amount of PA while allowing the students to learn the required fundamental movement skills.…”

The Impact of Different Pedagogical Models on Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity in Physical Education Classes

“…Teaching Games for Understanding enhances the intensity of PA in the class and reduces sedentary time compared to a hybrid TGfU-SE. This issue is particularly important since increasing PA levels in PE classes is a priority strategy for achieving PA for health guidelines [ 39 , 40 ]. On the other hand, a recent systematic review and meta-analysis of moderate-to-vigorous PA levels in secondary school PE lessons [ 41 ] underlines the importance of looking for new research and intervention strategies to increase classroom activity time.…”