Results From England’s 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
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Background:
Regular physical activity improves physical and mental health, yet children’s physical activity levels were low in England’s 2014 Report Card. Within this paper, we update the 2014 Report Card to assess current information for the 9 indicators of physical activity.
Methods:
A search for nationally representative data on 9 indicators of physical activity was conducted and the data were assessed by an expert panel. The panel assigned grades [ie, A, B, C, D, F, or INC (incomplete)] to each indicator based on whether children across England were achieving specific benchmarks. The 2016 Report Card was produced and disseminated.
Results:
The following grades were awarded: Overall Physical Activity Levels: D-; Organized Sport Participation: D; Active Play: INC; Active Transportation: C-; Sedentary Behaviors: INC; Family and Peers: INC; School: B+; Community and the Built Environment: B; Government Strategies and Investment: INC.
Conclusions:
The grades have not improved since the 2014 Report Card and several gaps in the literature are still present. While children’s physical activity levels remain low alongside competing sedentary choices, further national plans and investment with local actions are urgently needed to promote physical activity especially via active play, active transport, and family support.
Wilkie, Standage, and Cumming are with the Dept for Health, University of Bath, Bath, Somerset, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Sherar is with Loughborough University and the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Parnell is with Youth Sport Trust, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Davis is with the Faculty of Environment & Technology, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Foster is with the Nuffield Dept of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Jago is with the Dept of Exercise, Nutrition, and Health Sciences, Bristol University, Bristol, Avon, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Standage (M.Standage@bath.ac.uk) is corresponding author.
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