Most children are physically active and have high levels of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during primary school. However, this begins to change during the transition to secondary school, with levels of MVPA declining sharply. This decline in activity levels is a cause for concern, as it is a risk factor for overweight and obesity.
The good news is that there are ways to counter this decline in activity levels. One study found that increasing the amount of time spent in MVPA by just 30 minutes per day could prevent up to one third of cases of overweight and obesity in children.
There are a number of reasons why children may become less active as they transition from primary to secondary school. One reason is that they have less free time, as they have to juggle homework and other after-school commitments. Another reason is that they become more self-conscious and less likely to want to take part in activities that involve physical exertion.
There are a number of things that parents and teachers can do to encourage children to be more active. One way is to make sure that there are plenty of opportunities for physical activity built into the school day, such as a daily PE lesson. Another way is to provide incentives for children to be active, such as awarding points that can be exchanged for prizes.
Ultimately, it is important to help children to understand the importance of being physically active and to find activities that they enjoy. If we can do this, then we can help to prevent the decline in activity levels that often occurs during the transition from primary to secondary school.
The aim of this study was to investigate longitudinally the changes in physical activity (PA) patterns of students from primary to secondary school. A total of 538 students (267 girls, 271 boys) aged 11-12 years at baseline were followed up for 5 years. PA was measured using the pedometer-determined steps/day and time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) activities. results: Girls and boys increased their steps/day and time spent in MVPA from primary to secondary school (all p