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

FOREWORD
Promoting Physical Activity in Schools
This document is part of the WHO Information Series on School Health prepared for WHO’s
Global School Health Initiative and the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health.
Its purpose is to strengthen efforts to educate young people about the benefits of physical
activity and to help schools provide opportunities for students and school personnel to be
physically active. It is published in support of an international partnership that is Focusing
Resources on Effective School Health.
WHO’s Global School Health Initiative is a concerted effort by international organisations to
help schools improve the health of students, staff, parents, and community members. Education
and health agencies are encouraged to use this document to take important steps that can help
their schools become “Health-Promoting Schools.” Although definitions will vary, depending on
need and circumstance, a Health-Promoting School can be characterised as a school constantly
strengthening its capacity as a healthy setting for living, learning and working (see the Health-
Promoting School box on the following page).
The WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health is an effort to address the
increasing global burden of chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, stroke,
diabetes, and some cancers. WHO Member States have endorsed the principle that, in order to
address the challenges of chronic diseases, cross-sectoral policies that promote physical activity,
generate sustainable access to healthy diets and promote healthy choices must be
developed and implemented. At the World Health Assembly (WHA) in 2002 Resolution WHA55.23
requested the Director-General to adopt a Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and
Health. WHO Member States and other stakeholders developed the Global Strategy on Diet,
Physical Activity and Health (DPAS) over a two-year consultative process. The DPAS was approved
by the World Health Assembly in May 2004. Implementation is occurring in all Regions
with WHO, Governments, the private sector, and NGOs all playing an important role. The DPAS
highlights that, for physical activity promotion, multisectoral approaches are required. As part of a
holistic, multisectoral approach, the document recognises that schools are an important setting for
promotion of physical activity for young people, their families, and the broader community.
Focusing Resources on Effective School Health (FRESH) is an international effort
launched by WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO, and the World Bank to encourage education and health
agencies to work together to strengthen school health programmes to improve both health and
education. Education and health agencies are encouraged to use this document to foster the
implementation of school health programmes that help to prevent, control and reduce factors
that contribute to death, disease and disability, and that also undermine learning, schooling and
the goals of education.
The extent to which each nation’s schools become Health-Promoting Schools will play a
significant role in determining whether the next generation is educated and healthy. Education
and health support and enhance each other. Neither is possible alone.
iii WHO Information Series on School Health