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. 2022 Sep;42(9):408-419.
doi: 10.24095/hpcdp.42.9.04.

Do school characteristics, based on the Comprehensive School Health Framework, contribute to youth meeting national physical activity recommendations over time?

[Article in English, French]
Melissa Pirrie  1 , Valerie Carson  2 , Joel A Dubin  1   3 , Scott T Leatherdale  1
Affiliations

Do school characteristics, based on the Comprehensive School Health Framework, contribute to youth meeting national physical activity recommendations over time?

[Article in English, French]
Melissa Pirrie et al. Health Promot Chronic Dis Prev Can. 2022 Sep.

Abstract
in English, French

Introduction: Canadian youth are insufficiently active, and schools may play a role in promoting student physical activity (PA). Based on the Comprehensive School Health (CSH) framework, this study examined whether school characteristics are associated with secondary school students meeting national PA recommendations over time.

Methods: We used COMPASS survey data from 78 schools in Ontario and Alberta and 9870 Grade 9 and 10 students attending those schools. Students who provided two years of linked PA data (2013/14 and 2015/16) and gender were included. Multilevel analysis was conducted by gender, evaluating the relationship of school-level characteristics (guided by CSH) with students achieving all three PA recommendations after two years (≥ 60 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous PA, vigorous PA ≥ 3 days/week, strengthening activities ≥ 3 days/week).

Results: More than half (56.9%) of students achieving the PA recommendations at baseline were no longer achieving them after two years, and just a quarter (25.6%) of students not achieving the recommendations at baseline achieved them after two years. School-level factors were significantly associated with students achieving the recommendations, but these factors differed by student strata (i.e. by gender and baseline PA status). Generally, student access to equipment, public health partnerships and staff time for health were associated with increased odds of achieving the PA recommendations for certain students.

Conclusion: Modifications to school characteristics within CSH may play a role in supporting students in achieving or continuing to achieve the PA recommendations after two years. Further research is needed to better understand the underlying dynamics of the observed relationships.

Introduction: Les adolescents canadiens ne sont pas suffisamment actifs, mais les écoles peuvent participer à la promotion de l'activité physique auprès des élèves. Cette étude, qui s'appuie sur l'Approche globale de la santé en milieu scolaire (AGSMS), visait à vérifier si certaines caractéristiques des écoles étaient associées à la mise en pratique des recommandations nationales en matière d'activité physique par les élèves de niveau secondaire au fil du temps.

Méthodologie: Nous avons utilisé les données de l'étude COMPASS visant 78 écoles de l'Ontario et de l'Alberta et 9 870 élèves de 9e et de 10e année fréquentant ces écoles. Les élèves ayant fourni des données couplées sur leur activité physique durant deux années scolaires (2013‑2014 et 2015‑2016) et sur leur genre ont été retenus. Une analyse multiniveaux a été réalisée par genre dans le but d'évaluer la relation entre les caractéristiques des écoles (classées selon l'AGSMS) et la mise en pratique des trois recommandations en matière d'activité physique (60 min/jour ou plus d'activité physique d'intensité moyenne à élevée, activité physique d'intensité élevée 3 jours/semaine ou plus, activité de renforcement 3 jours/semaine ou plus) deux ans plus tard.

Résultats: Plus de la moitié (56,9 %) des élèves respectant les recommandations en matière d'activité au départ ne les respectaient plus deux ans plus tard, et seulement le quart (25,6 %) des élèves ne les respectant pas au départ les avaient mises en pratique deux ans plus tard. Plusieurs facteurs liés à l'école ont été fortement associés à la mise en pratique des recommandations chez les élèves, mais ils étaient variables d'un groupe à l'autre (selon le genre et le niveau initial d'activité physique). De façon générale, l'accès à de l'équipement, les partenariats de santé publique et l'allocation de temps au personnel pour la santé étaient associés à une probabilité accrue de mettre en pratique les recommandations en matière d'activité physique chez certains élèves.

Conclusion: La modification des caractéristiques des écoles dans le cadre de l'AGSMS peut aider les élèves à mettre en pratique les recommandations en matière d'activité physique ou à ce qu'ils maintiennent ces recommandations deux ans plus tard. D'autres recherches sont nécessaires pour éclaircir la dynamique à l'origine des relations observées.

Keywords: gender; guidelines; multilevel regression modelling; schools; youth.

Plain language summary

Approximately half of Grade 9 and 10 students were not meeting the national physical activity recommendations at baseline. There is evidence that inactive male and female students can transition to being active two years later, although this was observed in only a quarter of inactive students. School characteristics within the Comprehensive School Health framework may support both male and female students in becoming active or staying active. School-level factors associated with students achieving the physical activity recommendations were: partnering with public health, providing access to equipment during non-instructional time and receiving staff time for student health from the school board.

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Conflict of interest statement

Scott Leatherdale is an Associate Scientific Editor with the HPCDP Journal, but has recused himself from the review process for this paper. The authors declare there are no other conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Proportion of students achieving all three physical activity recommendations in Year 4 (2015/16) of the COMPASS study in Ontario and Alberta, Canada, by sex and by baseline physical activity status in Year 2 (2013/14)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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