Effects of interventions for promoting physical activity during recess in elementary schools: a systematic review

Abstract

Objective: Summarize the effects of interventions designed to promote physical activity during elementary school recess in children between 5 and 10 years old. Effective school interventions for children can promote physical activity and healthy behaviors.

Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Bireme, SciELO, Web of Science, PsychINFO, Proquest, Physical Education Index, Sports Discus, and Eric databases were included in the data search. Original intervention articles on physical activity that used regression methods, published between 2000 and 2019 in English, Portuguese and Spanish were analyzed. Analyses were performed in 2019. Outcomes were organized according to the direction of the association by independent variables. Ten articles were considered eligible for data extraction and evaluation.

Results: Several strategies were used including playground markings, demarcation of physical activities zones, group activities, availability of sports equipment and facilities. Most of the studies were conducted in the United States. Recess periods ranged from 20-94 min per day and intervention time ranged from 6 weeks to 2 years. Recess duration and intervention effects were positively associated with physical activity. Gender (girls) and age (oldest) were negatively associated with physical activity during recess.

Conclusions: Interventions based on modifications of school environment such as playground markings demarcation of physical activities zones, group activities, availability of sports equipment and facilities are cheap and cost-effective for increasing physical activity in school recess.

Keywords: Children; Interventions; Physical activity; Recess; School.