Year: 2026
Type: erratum
Abstract: Building health through physical activity in schools remains a global priority, as educational systems face persistent challenges related to declining physical activity levels, increasing sedentary behavior, and growing concerns about physical, psychological, and social health among children and adolescents. Schools represent a uniquely powerful setting to in uence lifelong health behaviors, yet effective promotion of physical activity requires evidence that integrates individual, pedagogical, environmental, and structural dimensions. The 19 articles included in "Building Health Through Physical Activity in Schools -Volume II" collectively provide a comprehensive and multidimensional perspective on how physical activity, health, and well-being can be fostered through educational contexts across diverse populations and sociocultural settings.At a global level, Encarnação et al. examined associations between physical activity and test anxiety among adolescents from 56 countries using PISA data, showing that higher physical activity levels are generally linked to lower anxiety, although this relationship varies substantially across cultural and educational contexts. These findings underscore the importance of context-sensitive approaches when interpreting and implementing school-based physical activity initiatives.The psychosocial impact of school-based physical activity is further illustrated by Murillo et al., who evaluated a cycling intervention implemented in U.S. middle schools following COVID-19 lockdowns. Their results demonstrated modest yet meaningful improvements in well-being, alongside clear doseresponse relationships between physical activity, sleep, screen time, and mental health outcomes, underscoring the relevance of integrated lifestyle approaches in post-pandemic school settings.Complementing this evidence, Grasaas et al. showed that sport participation among Norwegian adolescents is associated with more favorable school-related outcomes, including lower perceived stress, reduced tiredness during school hours, and a stronger sense of belonging. Importantly, their findings also revealed pronounced socioeconomic disparities in sport participation and dropout, highlighting equity as a central consideration in school-based physical activity promotion.2 Family, school environment, and structural determinants Several contributions highlight the importance of environmental and structural in uences on physical activity behavior. Dai et al. developed and validated a scale to assess school environmental factors affecting adolescent physical activity, providing a robust methodological tool to support research and policy development in educational contexts.Using longitudinal data, Ziegeldorf et al. demonstrated that parents' educational level and Family Health Climate are strongly associated with physical activity trajectories and organized sport participation from early primary school, reinforcing the need for early, family-sensitive strategies that complement school-based initiatives.At a broader policy level, Olivares-Arancibia et al. showed through a large-scale systematic review that sports-oriented school uniforms are associated with higher physical activity levels and improved physical fitness, particularly among girls. These findings illustrate how institutional policies, often considered peripheral, may exert meaningful effects on students' health behaviors. Together, the 19 studies included in "Building Health Through Physical Activity in Schools -Volume II" demonstrate that promoting physical activity in educational settings requires a multilevel, interdisciplinary, and context-sensitive approach. Individual behaviors, pedagogical practices, family environments, school policies, and broader socioeconomic structures interact to shape physical activity, health, and well-being across the lifespan. Future research and practice should prioritize integrated and equitable interventions, pedagogical innovation, and policies that reduce structural barriers, while amplifying the perspectives of children, adolescents, teachers, and school communities. Educational systems thus remain central to building health through physical activity, both within and beyond the school years.
Authors: Luís Branquinho, Pedro Forte, Ricardo Ferraz, José E. Teixeira, Andrew Sortwell
Institutions: Life Quality Research Centre, Universidade Politécnica de Portalegre, Instituto Superior de Ciências Educativas do Douro, Universidade Politécnica de Bragança, University of Beira Interior, Universidade Politécnica do Cávado e do Ave, Universidade Politécnica da Guarda, SPRINT, The University of Notre Dame Australia
Language: English
Topic: Physical Activity and Health
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,353
OpenAlex ID: W7127971005
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