Physical Activity Before and After School
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Physical Activity Before and After School Defined
Physical activity before and after school includes walking or biking to and from school programs, physical activity clubs, intramural programs (i.e., sports organized by the school or community in which any child can participate), interscholastic sports (i.e., competitive sports between schools), and physical activity in before-school and after-school extended day programs.1-2
Encouraging students to be physically active before and after school helps them identify activities they enjoy and might engage in long term.1-3
Physical activity before and after school benefits students by4
- Increasing their overall physical activity.
- Improving their grades and test scores.
Resources
- CDC Ideas for Parents: Before and After School Physical Activity [PDF-1.81MB]
- Alliance for a Healthier Generation: Healthy Out-of-School Time Assessment
- Alliance for a Healthier Generation and National Recreation and Park Association: Healthy Out-of-School Time Wellness Policy Implementation Guide for Parks and Recreation Agencies [PDF-1.2MB]
- Healthy Kids Out of School: Sports Website
- Healthy Out of School Time Coalition: National After School Association Standards for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity [PDF-2.7MB]
- SHAPE America: Before- and After-School Physical Activity And Intramural Sport Programs
References (expand to view)
- Institute of Medicine. Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2013.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A Guide for Developing Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2013.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. School health guidelines to promote healthy eating and physical activity. MMWR. 2011;60(RR05):1–76.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health and Academic Achievement. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2014.
- Page last reviewed: June 28, 2017
- Page last updated: June 28, 2017
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