Promising school-based strategies and intervention guidelines to increase physical activity of adolescents

Abstract

This narrative review describes the available scientific evidence regarding promising school-based strategies to increase physical activity of adolescents. We conducted a literature search for studies published up to 2011, regarding adolescent physical activity intervention studies that resulted in increased physical activity (regardless of measurement) and reviewed 52 intervention articles and 21 review articles. We identified several promising strategies and grouped into five broad intervention guidelines. These guidelines are as follows: (i) design multi-component interventions that foster the empowerment of members of the school community; (ii) develop improvements to Physical Education curricula as a strategy to promote physical activity to adolescents; (iii) design and implement non-curricular programmes and activities to promote physical activity; (iv) include computer-tailored interventions during the implementation and monitoring of physical activity promotion programmes and (v) design and implement specific strategies that respond to the interests and needs of girls. On the basis of our review of the adolescent physical activity promotion literature, we suggest that these five guidelines should be taken into account in school-based interventions geared towards achieving an increase in adolescent physical activity.