Implementation of Physical Activity-Based Health Promotion Measures in Schools—Examples and Evaluations from Germany

Abstract

Health prevention and promotion are increasingly important in the school context. Beyond physical education, measures focused on physical activity (PA) are implemented to enhance students’ mental and physical health. The first aim of this study was to systematically describe two school-based health promotion measures that were based on the idea of active school concepts against the background of the German educational and health policies as well as the German school system. The second aim was to assess the process and implementation quality and potential outcomes of the measures and to identify factors that promote or hinder the implementation of the measures. Both measures were funded and supported by health insurance companies. The measure Fitness at School supported approximately 1195 schools in the last thirteen years by promoting PA-related projects at schools. In the measure Active School NRW, schools that best implement the concept of an active school were awarded. The results provide insights into the conditions that hinder and support the implementation of PA-based health promotion measures at schools and are discussed against the background of sustainable health promotion. Overall, the evaluation indicates that financial investments in health-prevention and -promotion measures in the school setting are beneficial.

School Medical Service: Strategies to Promote Psycho-Physiological Well-Being

“…The COVID pandemic has taught us how important it is to nurture our health and well-being. The school environment can become a place of education and discussion, starting from a necessary health and physical literacy standpoint, not only in the field of scientific subjects but also in the new transversal programming of all other disciplines present in schools’ curricula [ 13 ].…”

The Impact of Sustainable Exercise and the Number of Pregnancies on Self-Efficacy, Self-Esteem, and Assertiveness Levels in Pregnant Women

“…The individual serves as the primary nexus in the chain of a sustainable economy, society, and environment [5]. Research indicates key principles for sustainable physical activity, including setting realistic expectations, being cognizant of desired physical, mental, and emotional states, establishing attainable goals, objectively monitoring progress, revising the plan if goals are not met, and integrating exercise as an integral part of lifestyle rather than as a mere ancillary need [6][7][8][9]. Bandura (1977) introduced the concept of self-efficacy as part of 'cognitive behavioral modification' [10].…”

Barriers and facilitators to the adoption of physical activity policies in elementary schools from the perspective of principals: An application of the consolidated framework for implementation research–A cross-sectional study

“…The framework lists 26 key determinants, which are grouped into the following five domains: intervention characteristics, outer setting, inner setting, characteristics of individuals, and process (22). Previous studies on programs promoting physical activity have examined the processes or underlying determinants of implementation, with some studies focusing on interventions (23,24) and others on policies (25)(26)(27)(28). Compared to interventions, policies are not only individual measures or actions, but provide a framework within which interventions are tendered, developed, financed or implemented (13).…”