Conference Agenda

Purpose

The aim of the study was to explore the state of whole-school physical activity (PA) promotion in Polish schools using a comprehensive tool, by identifying strengths and challenges emerged during the first certification model implementation cycle within the “PE with UPE” initiative, which supports schools through a participatory process.

Methods

Design: quantitative CAVI study.

Participants: 99 schools voluntarily applied for certification, 60 schools included - completed the full questionnaire.

Measure: School Improvement Questionnaire, 11 domains and 82 benchmarks.

Analyses: mean of responses calculated for domains and visualized using heat maps. ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc tests was applied to examine differences by location and school size.

Results

In 11 domains, schools performed strongest in “Active breaks” (M=5,40; SD=0,94) and “Quality PE” (M=4,48; SD=1,87), while “Governance and leadership” showed the weakest results (M=1,08; SD=0,98). “Opportunities for inclusive PA for children with special needs” were limited (M=1,10; SD=1,20). All schools organized PA-promoting events, and most participated in inter-school sports competitions. Geographic location did not significantly differentiate results. However, school size mattered: small schools scored higher than large schools in “Active breaks” (p=0,045; η²=0,102), and medium schools higher than large schools in “PA dissemination and promotion” (p=0,015; η²=0,135).

Conclusions

The findings highlight strengths in the organization of active breaks and quality of PE but reveal structural gaps in governance, leadership, and strategic integration of PA promotion. Strengthening leadership, policy coherence, and resources appears essential for advancing a whole-school approach to physical activity.

Introduction

Global Matrix is an international physical activity surveillance system focused on the 5-to 18-year-olds. The aim of this study was to develop a Global Matrix 5.0 report card by reviewing and synthesising evidence on factors relevant to physical activity promotion among children and adolescents in Croatia.

Methods

The literature search was conducted in Google, Hrčak, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus, using 100 keywords relevant to 10 standard Global Matrix indicators. Based on the findings of literature review, 21 expert panel members assigned grades to the indicators.

Results

Out of 2280 records assessed for eligibility, 2216 were excluded based on titles and/or abstracts. The full-texts of the remaining 64 records were reviewed, and 14 studies were included in the evidence synthesis. The following grades were assigned to the Global Matrix 5.0 indicators: C+ to “Overall Physical Activity”; C– to “Organised Sport”; C to “Active Play”; C– to “Active Transportation”; F to “Sedentary Behaviour”; INC to “Physical Fitness”; D+ to “Family and Peers”; B to “School”; B to “Community and Environment”; and C to “Government”.

Conclusion

The top priorities for physical activity promotion among the 5- to 18-year-olds in Croatia are to: (1) prevent the rapid increase in prevalence of excessive screen time in this age group; (2) reverse the trend of decline in physical activity among primary school students; and (3) increase the percentage of parents/guardians who act as role models by engaging in physical activities with their children.

Background

Physical activity is associated with improved mental wellbeing in children, but less is known about how social and environmental conditions shape this relationship. This study examined whether health-creating conditions influence the association between physical activity and children’s happiness.

Methods

Survey data were collected from children participating in the BTS programme across five UK communities. Baseline data were available for 5,610 children, with 809 matched baseline–follow-up responses collected approximately six weeks later. Happiness (1–7 scale) was analysed using ordinal mixed-effects models. Physical activity was measured as weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and contextual conditions were captured using the Health Creation Index (HCI), reflecting supportive relationships, opportunities for participation and perceptions of place.

Results

Higher HCI was strongly associated with greater happiness at baseline and showed a stronger relationship with happiness than physical activity alone. Predicted probabilities of high happiness (scores 6–7) were 20 percentage points higher among children with high HCI compared with low HCI. The association between MVPA and happiness was strongest among children with lower HCI, indicating moderation by contextual conditions.

Longitudinal analyses showed that increases in HCI were significantly associated with increases in happiness (β≈0.49, p<0.001), while changes in MVPA alone were not independently associated with happiness change.

Conclusion

Children’s happiness appears strongly linked to health-creating social and environmental conditions. Physical activity may contribute most to wellbeing when it occurs within environments that support safety, belonging and participation.

Background: As central social environments in adolescents’ daily lives, schools play a pivotal role in fostering both physical activity (PA) and mental health. This study aims to investigate the associations between school-based PA promotion and mental health among Finnish adolescents.

Methods: The data were drawn from two sources: individual-level information from the Finnish School Health Promotion study and school-level information from the Finnish Benchmarking System for Health Promotion Capacity Building. The merged dataset included 77,721 pupils from 678 schools. School-based PA promotion was assessed across four categories. Mental health included depressive, anxiety, and social anxiety symptoms, as well as prosocial behaviour. Negative binomial regression and Poisson regression were used as a statistical method.

Results: In adjusted analyses, enabling the utilization of indoor sports facilities outside of physical education (PE) classes (incidence rate ratio [IRR]:1.01, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.01–1.01) and encouraging pupils to engage in active commuting to school (IRR:1.01, 95% CI:1.01–1.01) were associated with higher levels of prosocial behaviour. Among girls, extended PA breaks were associated with reduced anxiety symptoms (IRR:0.97, 95% CI:0.96–0.99), whereas training pupils as peer instructors for PA was linked to higher levels of social anxiety symptoms (IRR:1.02, 95% CI:1.01–1.04).

Conclusions: School-based PA promotion may enhance adolescents’ prosocial behaviour and, among girls, reduce the risk of anxiety symptoms. To support adolescents’ mental health in the school setting, PA should be promoted through a multifaceted approach. However, caution is warranted when using peer-led strategies, as they may increase social anxiety symptoms among girls.

Introduction: Evidence suggests a bi-directional relationship between physical activity (PA) and menstrual cycle symptoms in girls and young women. However, limited evidence is available from girls and young women in the UK, or Europe, to guide approaches to supporting PA throughout the menstrual cycle. This abstract presents data describing Scottish girls’ and young women’s experiences of the menstrual cycle, PA and relevant education.

Methods: Participants in Scotland completed an online questionnaire (girls 12-18yrs, n=221 and young women 19-24yrs, n=153). Questions assessed menstrual symptoms, PA, perceived impact of the menstrual cycle, and education experiences.

Results: There was a high prevalence of girls and young women experiencing menstrual symptoms; 86% experienced period pain, and 94% rated at least one premenstrual symptom as moderate or severe. 85% reported that symptoms prevented PA participation, with pain the most frequently reported barrier. More young women than girls recognised PA helped them to feel better mentally (84% vs 47%) and physically (67% vs 34%) but 30% of participants did not feel informed of how to stay active throughout their menstrual cycle. Only 12% of young women and 34% of girls said they had received information on managing menstrual symptoms before their first period.

Conclusions: The study extends understanding of being active throughout the menstrual cycle, specifically relevant to a Scottish context. Findings indicate strategies to support girls and young women to be active throughout their menstrual cycle are needed.

Support/Funding Source: The study was funded by Scottish Action for Mental Health and Public Health Scotland.

Introduction:

An understanding of the whole-school system is needed to develop successful approaches to increase physical activity (PA) levels in young people. We aimed to understand the factors and interconnected relationships influencing PA behaviours to create a comprehensive map of the whole-school PA system in Scotland and identify factors that, when intervened upon, may have a substantive impact across the system, leading to increased PA levels.

Methods:

We conducted five participatory workshops with secondary school pupils, aged 12-17 years (n=32) and gathered perspectives from secondary school teachers (n=9) and wider stakeholders (n=7) via questionnaires and workshops. We elicited and prioritised factors influencing PA behaviours before, during, and after school, and explored their interconnectedness. The research team refined the map using expert knowledge, and undertook quality assurance and robustness checks.

Results:

The resulting map highlights six subsystems: curricular PA, non-curricular PA, travel, school structure, policy context, and cross-system factors. A range of interconnected factors were identified (n=91) including outdoor facilities/green space, and teaching approach in class. Six reinforcing and balancing feedback loops were identified that shaped PA patterns and revealed 26 key leverage factors (e.g., walking to school), highlighting areas where schools should target for maximum impact.

Conclusions:

This is the first map visualising the whole-school PA system in secondary schools in Scotland. Schools and practitioners can use the leverage points identified to generate an action plan for workable system interventions for their unique context. This will be of benefit to practitioners, policymakers, and researchers, and ultimately impact pupils across Scotland.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore how the evidence-based Youth-Physical Activity Towards Health (Y-PATH) programme could be adapted to the Northern Ireland (NI) context.

Methods

A mixed-methods approach was employed, including an online cross-sectional survey of pupils aged 11-14 years (n=1,541) that measured PA levels, enjoyment and experiences of PE, and preferences for PA. Focus groups (n=17) with 116 pupils aged 11-16 years, and interviews with parents/guardians and teachers (n=19) explored barriers, facilitators, and perceptions of Y-PATH. Survey data were analysed descriptively, while qualitative data were analysed thematically.

Results

Only 21.2% of adolescents met daily PA guidelines, with boys more likely than girls to meet recommendations (32% vs 13.7%). PA levels and enjoyment of PE declined with age. Most pupils (98%) expressed interest in trying new activities, with team sports (65.9%) and gym-based activities (66%) most popular. Pupils highlighted the importance of variety, autonomy, and social support in PE. Teachers and parents emphasised broadening PE beyond competitive sports, ensuring every pupil participates regardless of ability. Y-PATH NI was viewed as a promising framework to support inclusive engagement and skill development, although implementation challenges included teacher workload, time constraints, and the need for professional development.

Conclusions

Findings highlight the need for context-specific, whole-school approaches to promote health-related PA and fundamental movement skills during the transition to post-primary education. Adapting Y-PATH for NI schools offers an opportunity to increase participation, enjoyment, and inclusivity in PE, particularly for those less engaged in traditional sports.

Background and aim of the study

Childhood and adolescent obesity has been increasing worldwide and is associated with health risks such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. This study analysed the association between body mass index (BMI), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and physical activity (PA) with cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescents.

Methods

The sample included 454 participants (238 females and 216 males) aged 10–16 years. Most had a normal BMI (85.2%), while 13% were overweight and 1.8% obese. Metabolic biomarkers, including glucose, lipid profile, blood pressure, and a composite cardiometabolic risk score, were assessed. CRF was measured using the shuttle run test, and PA was evaluated with Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometers following standardized protocols.

Results:

Statistical analyses showed significant differences between genders and BMI categories in PA, CRF, and cardiometabolic risk variables. Overweight adolescents presented less favourable lipid profiles and higher overall risk scores. Covariance analysis (ANCOVA), adjusted for BMI, indicated that BMI was the main predictor of cardiometabolic risk, while CRF and PA did not show significant independent effects.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that obesity is the factor most strongly associated with early deterioration of the cardiometabolic profile, regardless of PA and CRF levels. The results highlight the importance of primary prevention strategies that promote healthy lifestyles, particularly school- and community-based programs that encourage regular PA and maintenance of CRF.

Support/Funding Source:

CIAFEL–FADEUP (UID/00617/2025; DOI: 10.54499/UIDB/00617/2020) and ITR (LA/P/0064/2020).

Introduction

Evidence is limited on experiences of being active across the menstrual cycle in girls and young women, creating a substantial barrier to providing support. This abstract presents qualitative data on girls’ and young women’s experiences of being active throughout the menstrual cycle.

Methods

Interviews and focus groups (12-15yrs (n-4), 16-18yrs (n=4), 19-24yrs (n=5)) were structured around barriers and enablers to physical activity (PA) across the menstrual cycle; how PA influences wellbeing; educational support; and what could be done better. A thematic analysis was undertaken to identify the role of Capability, Opportunity and Motivation on Behaviour (COM-B).

Results

Physical capability was negatively impacted by premenstrual and menstrual symptoms, but participants were aware at post menses/ovulation of increased energy. Psychological capability was suppressed by premenstrual mood changes, not being prepared, and lack of knowledge; while having plans and adjusting PA facilitated activity. Easy access to bathrooms with appropriate period products enhanced physical opportunities, while open conversations and supportive coaches/teaching staff created a supportive social environment. Although participants believed PA would help them feel physically and mentally better, motivation was suppressed by a range of factors (e.g. fear of leaking). Participants wanted to learn more about the menstrual cycle, with access to educational resources that would build knowledge through school and beyond.

Conclusion

Further research is needed to develop accessible resources that are tailored to support PA across the menstrual cycle for girls and young women.

Funding Source: The study was funded by Scottish Action for Mental Health and Public Health Scotland.