Results From the Republic of Slovenia’s 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth

Abstract

Background:This is the first assessment of the Republic of Slovenia’s efforts to synthesize and report physical activity (PA) standards for children and youth following the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance grading system model.Methods:The Republic of Slovenia Report Card relies on research findings published in peer-reviewed journals, data compiled from national databases, and government initiatives which have been monitoring physical fitness standards in schools for the past 34 years (SLOfit and ACDSi). The Report Card initiative has been jointly coordinated by the University of Primorska and the University of Ljubljana. A Research Work Group consisting of 12 representatives from various aspects of Slovenia’s public, private, and government sectors convened to evaluate evidence and assign grades for each PA indicator.Results:Grades (A, highest, to F, lowest; INC, incomplete) for Slovenia are as follows: Overall Physical Activity (A-), Organized Sport Participation (B-), Active Play (D), Active Transportation (C), Sedentary Behaviors (B+), Family and Peers (INC), Schools (A), Community and the Built Environment (INC), and Government (B+).Conclusions:This inclusive PA report indicates that overall physical activity minutes remain high in Slovenian children and youth; however, more research is needed to determine the effects of family life, peer influences, and the built environment on active play behaviors.

Global Matrix 2.0: Report Card Grades on the Physical Activity of Children and Youth Comparing 38 Countries

“…39 The high grade achieved in Slovenia is attributed to highly developed and apparently effective structured physical activity opportunities through school physical education and structured sport opportunities both in school and in the community. 51 The low grades in most countries are consistent with earlier reports. 7,15,70 Grades were generally higher in low-middle income countries (LMIC; Brazil, 26 India, 37 Kenya, 40 Mexico, 42 Mozambique, 43 Nigeria, 46 South Africa, 52 Zimbabwe 61 ), but this relationship was not uniform as Slovenia 51 and New Zealand 45 also reported high grades and no significant correlation between HDI and overall behavior grades was observed (Table 5).…”

“…Overall behavior grades (Overall Physical Activity, Organized Sport Participation, Active Play, Active Transportation, Sedentary Behavior) were lower in participating Asian, North American, and South American countries compared with countries from the other continents. Average grades across all indicators were highest in Denmark, 31 Slovenia, 51 and the Netherlands. 44 Sixteen countries reported at least 1 F grade and 30 countries reported at least 1 D grade.…”

“…There is considerable global variation in grades for sedentary behaviors, although the majority of countries have very poor or failing grades. Slovenia, 51 Kenya, 40 and Zimbabwe 61 had grades in the B range while 24 countries had grades of D or F. All continents had an average of a D grade. These grades identify a serious and widespread problem of excess screen viewing (>2 hours per day of recreational screen time 105,106 ).…”

“…Slovenia reported the highest grade (A-) 51 for Overall Physical Activity while 20 countries reported low (D) and 7 countries failing (F) grades, suggesting there is widespread evidence of a childhood physical inactivity crisis. One country (Japan) assigned an INC grade.…”

“…Grades for the School indicator ranged from A in Slovenia 51 to D-in Mexico 42 with a relatively even distribution of grades by other countries between these extremes (Table 4). There was a clear trend toward higher grades in HICs and lower grades in LMICs.…”