Declining fitness and physical education lessons in UK adolescents.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

The objective was to determine recent cross-sectional trends in health-related fitness (HRF) in secondary school students by studying the 13-14 years old age group repeatedly over 6 years, considering parallel national trends in physical education (PE).

Methods

Height, weight, broad jump, grip strength, 20 m shuttle run and throwing and catching skills were measured by the same research team using standardised techniques from 2014 to 2019. Trends in these HRF measures were assessed by linear regression, adjusting for school, sex and height. Interactions with fitness and body mass index (BMI) were tested. The number of PE lessons reported in the UK Annual School Workforce Census between 2010 and 2019 for all state-funded secondary schools was analysed.

Results</

SUBMITTER: Weedon BD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8768926 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature