The Association Between State Physical Education Laws and Student Physical Activity

Abstract

Introduction: This study examined the association between state physical education time requirements and physical activity and physical education outcomes among high school students.

Methods: State physical education time requirement laws for 2004-2016 from the Classification of Laws Associated with School Students database were linked with 2005-2017 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey data using state and year identifiers. Analyses were conducted between 2018 and 2019 to assess associations between physical education time requirement laws and physical activity or physical education outcomes using multinomial logistic regressions, while controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, year-fixed effects, and state confounders.

Results: State laws requiring ≥90 minutes of physical education per week were associated with 3.1 percentage points lower probability of no days of physical activity ≥60 minutes (95% CI= -5.0, -1.1), 3.7 percentage points lower probability of no days of moderate exercise ≥30 minutes (95% CI= -6.2, -1.3), 4.2 percentage points lower probability of no days of vigorous exercise ≥20 minutes (95% CI= -5.2, -3.3), and 19.3 percentage points lower probability of not attending physical education class (95% CI= -34.4, -4.2). The laws were associated with a 2.4 percentage point higher probability of daily moderate exercise ≥30 minutes in male students (95% CI=0.6, 4.2) and a 3.4 percentage point higher probability in female students (95% CI=1.9, 4.9), with larger associations for female students (p<0.01).

Conclusions: Findings from this study help support the role that physical education state requirements can play in enhancing adolescents' ability to meet recommended amounts of daily physical activity and the related public health benefits.