ArticleHealth education research2021
The impact of physically active learning during the school day on children's physical activity levels, time on task and learning behaviours and academic outcomes.
Article in Health education research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effectiveness of Back care education Programme among school children: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.BMC pediatrics · 2024Pooled it
- Does Learning Through Movement Improve Academic Performance in Primary Schoolchildren? A Systematic Review.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2022Pooled it
- Effect of physically active learning on physical activity levels in secondary school students: The ACTIVE CLASS Study.BMC public health · 2026Trial
- Less is more: Qualitative insights into physically active learning in secondary math education.PloS one · 2025Trial
- Numeracy in Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes: Assessment and Application of a Video Game Intervention.Cureus · 2026Article
- Bullying and Cyberbullying Are Associated with Low Levels of Motivational Beliefs Toward Learning in Youth.European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education · 2025Article
- Bullying and cyberbullying. A high risk, in boys and girls, of superficial learning, poor planning and academic procrastination.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Bullying and cyberbullying is associated with low levels of cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies in young people.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Effects of flexible learning spaces, active breaks, and active lessons on sedentary behaviors, physical activity, learning, and musculoskeletal health in school-aged children: a scoping review.Journal of activity, sedentary and sleep behaviors · 2024Review
- Physical activity and content in a variety of physically active learning: an observational case study of real-world practices.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2024Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The benefits of physical activity in school settings and its impact on health and academic outcomes are of interest from public health and educational contexts. This study investigates how physically active learning (PAL): (i) contributes to children's physical activity levels, (ii) impacts on academic outcomes and (iii) influences children's focus and concentration, defined as time on task (ToT).
methodsOver a 2-week period, participants were exposed to PAL and non-active learning (NAL) lessons in a counterbalanced design. Physiological responses and ToT behaviour were recorded throughout PAL and NAL lessons. Academic outcomes were assessed the week before, during and the week after each mode of delivery.
resultsChildren were more active during PAL (196�542 steps per week) compared to NAL (152�395 steps per week, P = 0.003). The physiological demands of PAL (73% HRmax), were significantly greater (P < 0.001) than NAL (51% HRmax). Children's ToT was significantly higher (P < 0.001) with PAL (97%) than NAL (87%). There were no differences in academic outcomes when PAL and NAL were compared.
conclusionsModest levels of PAL increased activity levels. No evidence was found to suggest PAL had a negative effect on children's academic outcomes, and PAL could positively impact on children's concentration.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.