About this Research Topic
Evidence suggests that regular physical activity among children and adolescents can improve physical fitness, cardiometabolic health, bone health, and cognitive outcomes such as academic performance and executive function, as well as mental health, quality of life, and well-being. However, worldwide, the lives of children and young people are becoming increasingly sedentary through, for example, the use of motorized transport and screen time. These trends have given rise to concerns relating to the health-related risks associated with a physically inactive lifestyle. Thus, if these concerns are to be addressed, it will be important to find sustainable ways of increasing the level of physical activity among young people in the coming years.
Given that all children and young people are obliged to go to school in most countries, schools represent an arena within which young people's levels of physical activity could be increased, while at the same time creating a basis for lifelong enjoyment of movement through good experiences and the development of knowledge and skills. Although in most countries physical education is a compulsory school subject (or at least there is some general commitment to physical activity in school for boys and girls in all classes), the quantity and quality of physical education and other physical activities tend to vary across regions and countries.
In this Research Topic, we welcome manuscripts on either quantitative or qualitative approaches that seek to illuminate how physical education and/or supplementary physical activity is organized in a school setting as a health-promoting strategy among children and young people and with what kinds of outcomes. We will consider a diversity of research papers, including reviews, observational studies, and intervention trials. In particular, we especially welcome research that has used mixed methods and/or a "real world" approach, preferably with a focus on sustainability.
Given that all children and young people are obliged to go to school in most countries, schools represent an arena within which young people's levels of physical activity could be increased, while at the same time creating a basis for lifelong enjoyment of movement through good experiences and the development of knowledge and skills. Although in most countries physical education is a compulsory school subject (or at least there is some general commitment to physical activity in school for boys and girls in all classes), the quantity and quality of physical education and other physical activities tend to vary across regions and countries.
In this Research Topic, we welcome manuscripts on either quantitative or qualitative approaches that seek to illuminate how physical education and/or supplementary physical activity is organized in a school setting as a health-promoting strategy among children and young people and with what kinds of outcomes. We will consider a diversity of research papers, including reviews, observational studies, and intervention trials. In particular, we especially welcome research that has used mixed methods and/or a "real world" approach, preferably with a focus on sustainability.
Keywords: physical activity, school, physical education (PE), lifestyle, health promotion, public health, physically active learning, academic achievement, social skills, self-efficacy, motivation, mental and physical health
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
