WHO INFORMATION SERIES ON SCHOOL HEALTH ... - PAHO/WHO

1.3 How should this document be used?
3
Promoting Physical Activity in Schools
This document provides a variety of ways to promote physical activity among school children and adolescents.
Section 1 defines what physical activity is and presents different ways to perform it. The arguments in Section
2 can be used to advocate the importance of physical activity for children and adolescents. Section 3 outlines
why it is important for schools to create environments conducive to physical activity. Section 4 presents practical
steps to promote physical activity in and through schools. Section 5 explains how physical activity could be
integrated into various components of a Health-Promoting School. Finally, Section 6 explains the importance
of the evaluation of physical activity programmes and methods to perform an effective evaluation.
1.4 How will this document help people to take control over and to improve health?
This document is designed to help people create an environment which fosters, increases or maintains
physical activity through schools. It is based on best research for promotion of physical activity via schools
and is consistent with the ideals of the Ottawa Charter of Health Promotion (8), as described below:
a) Create healthy public policy:
Information provided in this document can be used to lobby for policies and regulations for creating an environment
that promotes physical activity among young people.
b) Develop supportive environments:
This document describes the environmental changes that are necessary for supporting physical activity in
and through schools and how those changes could be achieved in the most cost effective ways.
c) Reorient health services:
This document describes how school health services can help to mobilise new opportunities for physical
activity.
d) Develop personal skills:
This document identifies the skills that young people need to adopt to maintain an active life. It also identifies
skills needed by others — parents, teachers, and community members — to create conditions conducive for
physical activity and health in schools.
e) Mobilise community action:
This document identifies essential actions that should be taken jointly by the school and community to initiate,
promote and maintain physical activity among children and adolescents. It demonstrates how community
resources can be mobilised to strengthen programmes in schools. It also addresses parents, media and
community as partners to advocate policies and resources needed for promoting physical activity.
WHO Information Series on School Health