SynthesisPloS one2024
Umbrella review of international evidence for the effectiveness of school-based physical activity interventions.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 3 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
12 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Digital Tools' Effectiveness on Physical Activity Outcomes in Children and Adolescents: Umbrella Review.JMIR public health and surveillance · 2026Pooled it
- Effectiveness and promising behavioral change techniques in interventions aimed at promoting physical activity in adolescents: a systematic review.BMC public health · 2026Pooled it
- Waist circumference as a parameter in school-based interventions to prevent overweight and obesity - a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC public health · 2024Pooled it
- A Policy-Based Intervention for Physical Activity and Screen Time in Childcare Outside School Hours: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2026Trial
- Acute physiological and perceptual responses in the FIT FIRST FOR ALL school-based physical activity program.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Voices on a multicomponent school-based physical activity intervention: a qualitative study with school leaders, teachers, and students from the MOVESCHOOL study.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Physical activity promotion in Quebec primary schools: equity, intervention practices, and areas for improvement.Health promotion international · 2026Article
- Age Differences in the Relationship Between Outdoor Physical Activity and School Emotional Well-Being in Pre-Adolescents: A Stratified Correlation Analysis.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Socioeconomic status moderates the effect of physical education on overweight and obesity in children: a quasi-experimental trial.European journal of pediatrics · 2025Article
- Effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention to promote physical activity during the school day: rationale and methods of the MOVESCHOOL study.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Exploring barriers and facilitators to physical activity among children in Saudi Arabian schools: A qualitative study.PloS one · 2025Article
- Applying intervention mapping to develop a program for promoting short physical activity breaks during class time in upper secondary schools: the MOVE12 protocol study.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundObesity and physical inactivity among children and young people are public health concerns. Despite the wide variety of interventions available to promote physical activity, little is known about which interventions are most effective. This review aimed to evaluate the existing literature on school-based interventions that aim to increase physical activity among children and young people aged 6 to 18 years.
methodsA systematic review of reviews was undertaken. We searched for systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between December 2017 and January 2024 using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL. Titles and abstracts were independently screened by two reviewers, who also conducted data extraction and quality assessments. We focused on outcomes like changes in physical activity levels and body mass index to assess the effectiveness of the interventions.
resultsA total of 23 reviews examining school-based physical activity interventions met the inclusion criteria, comprising 15 systematic reviews and 8 meta-analyses. All reviews (N = 23) were implemented in the school setting: three in primary schools, seven in secondary schools, and thirteen targeted both primary and secondary schools. The findings demonstrated that six reviews reported a statistical increase in physical activity levels among the target population, and one review found a decrease in body mass index. The most promising interventions focused on physical activity included within the school curriculum and were characterised as long-term interventions. 20 out of 23 reviews assessed the quality of primary studies.
conclusionSome interventions were promising in promoting physical activity among school-aged children and young people such as Daily Mile, Active Break, and Active transport while multi-component interventions seem to be positively effective in reducing BMI. Future efforts should focus on long-term, theory-driven programmes to ensure sustainable increases in physical activity.
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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.