The DOI matches its Crossref record; 68 of the 70 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions designed to increase moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in school physical education lessons
Abstract
Objectives Physical education (PE) that allows students to engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) can play an important role in health promotion. Unfortunately, MVPA levels in PE lessons are often very low. In this review, we aimed to determine the effectiveness of interventions designed to increase the proportion of PE lesson time that students spend in MVPA.Methods In March 2012, we searched electronic databases for intervention studies that were conducted in primary or secondary schools and measured the proportion of lesson time students spent in MVPA. We assessed risk of bias, extracted data, and conducted meta-analyses to determine intervention effectiveness.Results From an initial pool of 12,124 non-duplicate records, 14 studies met the inclusion criteria. Students in intervention conditions spent 24% more lesson time in MVPA compared with students in usual practice conditions (standardized mean difference=0.62).Conclusions Given the small number of studies, moderate-to-high risk of bias, and the heterogeneity of results, caution is warranted regarding the strength of available evidence. However, this review indicates that interventions can increase the proportion of time students spend in MVPA during PE lessons. As most children and adolescents participate in PE, these interventions could lead to substantial public health benefits.
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In the citing paper
“Strategies to increase activity levels in PE can be classified into three broad categories: (i) reducing transition time (e.g., minimizing teacher talk, having more efficient transitions), (ii) maximizing opportunities for activity (e.g., selecting active games, removing elimination), and (iii) fitness infusion (e.g., integrating high-intensity ‘bursts’ of activity within typical games and lesson”
In the citing paper
“Recently, Lonsdale and colleagues [89] published a systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions aimed at increasing MVPA during PE lessons. Previous interventions have resulted, on average, in a 24% relative increase in the amount of lesson time spent in MVPA.”
In the citing paper
“‘Fitness infusion’ was found to be the most effective strategy (61% more MVPA time compared with 14% increase associated with other interventions) [89].”
In the citing paper
“Lonsdale et al. (75) indicated that interventions can increase time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA by 24% in PE lessons, thus substantially influencing the total amount of PA.”
From How can physical activity be promoted among children and adolescents? A systematic review of reviews across settings (2019) · cites this paper as [75]
In the citing paper
“Third, and strongly connected to higher quality PE lessons, reviews specified teacher training and capacity building as effective strategies to promote PA in school children (15, 66, 69, 74–76).”
From How can physical activity be promoted among children and adolescents? A systematic review of reviews across settings (2019) · cites this paper as [75]
In the citing paper
“Secondly, improving the quality of PE lessons can be effective (15, 75).”
From How can physical activity be promoted among children and adolescents? A systematic review of reviews across settings (2019) · cites this paper as [75]
In the citing paper
“This supports previous research which has shown the impact of modified PE lessons designed to increase MVPA, with students engaging in 24% more MVPA during modified PE compared with students in usual PE practice conditions (Lonsdale et al., 2013).”
From The effectiveness of school-based physical activity interventions for adolescent girls: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2017) · cites this paper as Lonsdale et al., 2013
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
Kohl, H. W., Cook, H. D. V., & Nutrition Board (2013) · Cited by 805
Hills, A. P., Dengel, D. R., & Lubans, D. R. (2015) · Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases · doi:10.1016/j.pcad.2014.09.010 · Cited by 705
Self-citationParticipation of people living with disabilities in physical activity: a global perspective
Ginis, K. A. M., van der Ploeg, H. P., Foster, C. E., Lai, B. W., McBride, C. B., Ng, K., Pratt, M., Shirazipour, C. H., Smith, B. M., Vásquez, P. M., et al. (2021) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(21)01164-8 · Cited by 603
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Self-citation
Metadata
- Authors
- Lonsdale, C., Rosenkranz, R. R., Peralta, L. R., Bennie, A., Fahey, P., & Lubans, D. R.
- Affiliations
- Western Sydney University (AU)
- Kansas State University (US)
- University of Newcastle Australia (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Lonsdale, Chris
- ORCID
- Venue
- Preventive Medicine
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-02
- Volume
- 56
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 152-161
- ISSN
- 0091-7435 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2003138457
- Cited by
- 451
- References
- 70
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 51 · 2020: 43 · 2019: 41 · 2018: 39 · 2017: 34 · 2016: 37 · 2015: 35 · 2014: 32 · 2013: 6
- FWCI
- 2.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Preventive Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Bank (Australian Catholic University) (submittedVersion)
- NOVA (University of Newcastle Australia) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Physical Education and Pedagogy
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › School Health and Nursing Education
- Keywords
- moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, physical education, physical education intervention, children and adolescents, health promotion, intervention effectiveness, primary and secondary schools
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Health Promotion, Humans, Physical Education and Training, School Health Services, Exercise
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