Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40721256›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Exploring associations between active school environments and children's physical activity, mental health and educational performance in Greater London primary schools: the Health and Activity of Pupils in the Primary Years (HAPPY) study protocol.

Bina Ram, Nancy Gullett, Amina Benkhelfa, Mark Cunningham, Mansour Taghavi Azar Sharabiani, Esther van Sluijs, Nadia Siddiqui, Melvyn Hillsdon, Carolyn Summerbell, Miranda Pallan and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Bina RamDepartment of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK b.ram@imperial.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0023-1573
Nancy GullettDepartment of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Amina BenkhelfaDepartment of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-9006-3222
Mark CunninghamDepartment of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Mansour Taghavi Azar SharabianiDepartment of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3808-277X
Esther van SluijsMRC Epidemiology Unit, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK.
Nadia SiddiquiDepartment of Education, Durham University, Durham, UK.
Melvyn HillsdonDepartment of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Carolyn SummerbellFUSE, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Miranda PallanPublic Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2868-4892
Sonia SaxenaDepartment of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3787-2083

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionSchool environments that encourage children to be physically active can embed lifelong positive health behaviours and contribute towards reducing health inequalities. The Health and Activity of Pupils in the Primary Years (HAPPY) study aims to: (1) explore the extent to which the WHO criteria for creating active school environments are implemented by primary schools and (2) examine associations between active school environments and children's physical activity, mental health and educational performance. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The HAPPY study is a quasi-experimental study comprising: (1) a survey of state-funded Greater London primary schools to identify implementation of the WHO's six criteria and (2) a cross-sectional study to examine associations between schools' active environment score (derived from the school survey) and pupils' physical activity, mental health and educational performance. For our cross-sectional study, we will recruit up to 1000 year-three children (aged 7-8 years). Our primary outcome is accelerometer (GENEActiv) assessed physical activity, our secondary outcomes are parent-reported child mental health (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) and teacher-reported educational performance (age-related expectations). Using multilevel mixed-effects regression models, we will examine associations between the active environment score and physical activity. Physical activity will be included as a measure of acceleration and also different intensities (light, moderate, vigorous). We will repeat this analysis to examine associations between the active environment score and mental health and educational performance. We will adjust for school characteristics and area-level deprivation and include pupil characteristics (eg, sex, ethnic group) as covariates. Clustering at the school level will be included as a random effect. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been obtained from Imperial College Research Ethics Committee (ref: 6800895). Findings will be disseminated through a summary report to all participating schools, peer-reviewed publications, presentations at national and international conferences and National Institute for Health and Care Research policy briefings.

Indexed as

Academic PerformanceExerciseMental HealthSchoolsStudentsChildCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansLondonMaleResearch DesignSurveys and QuestionnairesCommunity child healthPhysical FitnessPUBLIC HEALTHSchools

Identifiers

PMID40721256
PMCPMC12306349

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.