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Educating the Student Body
recess, and before- and after-school activities (Sallis et al., 2003; Simon 
et al., 2004; Verstraete et al., 2007; Naylor et al., 2008; Evenson et al., 
2009; Kriemler et al., 2010). Evidence reviewed earlier on the effective-
ness of multicomponent programs in increasing physical activity in youth 
(e.g., van Sluijs et al., 2007) suggests that increasing classroom physical 
activity may be a useful adjunct to broader programs but says nothing 
about whether classroom physical activity can actually be increased. Even 
programs in which classroom physical activity is the apparent centerpiece 
are commonly accompanied by efforts to provide children and their parents 
with information and encouragement to increase physical activity more 
widely. In addition, assessments of increased activity commonly focus on 
changes in vigorous- or moderate-intensity physical activity while discount-
ing or ignoring increased light-intensity activity. Still, the existing scientific 
literature does suggest that increases in classroom physical activity can be 
achieved and are accompanied by increased overall physical activity. 
Physical activity has been increased during classroom time by insert-
ing scheduled breaks for physical activity (e.g., stretching, jumping jacks) 
(Ernst and Pangrazi, 1999; Pangrazi et al., 2003; Liu et al., 2008; Katz 
et al., 2010; Erwin et al., 2011; Whitt-Glover et al., 2011; Wadsworth et 
al., 2012) and by incorporating physical activity into academic sessions 
(e.g., physically active math or spelling games) (Mahar et al., 2006; Trost 
et al., 2008a; Donnelly et al., 2009; Grieco et al., 2009; Donnelly and 
Lambourne, 2011; Kibbe et al., 2011). Estimates of the increase in daily 
physical activity due to such interventions are modest, ranging from 700 to 
1,000 steps per day (Mahar et al., 2006; Erwin et al., 2011). According to 
one report, physical activity breaks increased light-intensity physical activ-
ity by 50 percent and moderate-intensity physical activity by 16 percent 
(Whitt-Glover et al., 2011).
Just as environmental changes can increase physical activity during 
recess, changes to the physical classroom environment can facilitate physi-
cal activity (Sallis et al., 2003; Evenson et al., 2009). Examples of such 
changes include standing desks, physio ball chairs, balancing boards or 
balls, podiums with BOSU (BOth Sides Up) balls, juggling balls, medicine 
balls, exercycles on which students can read while riding, and desks on 
wheels so they can be easily rearranged (Disney, 2012). Examples of class-
room space organized to provide room for students to be more physically 
active are provided in Chapter 5.
Impact on Other Outcomes
Benefits of increased classroom physical activity have frequently been 
noted, including improved academic achievement and cognitive perfor-
mance, increased time on task, reduced BMI (Mahar et al., 2006; Liu et al., 

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Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
The Effectiveness of Physical Activity and Physical Education Policies and Programs
 
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2008; Donnelly et al., 2009; Barr-Anderson et al., 2011; Kibbe et al., 2011; 
Whitt-Glover et al., 2011), and reduced use of medications for asthma and 
ADHD (Katz et al., 2010).
Risks of increased classroom physical activity include injuries. However, 
the literature includes no mention of injuries associated with classroom 
physical activity programs, and it is likely that any injuries that might occur 
would be minor.
Conclusion 
Incorporating physical activity into daily classroom time either as part 
of academic lessons or as activity breaks is an emerging opportunity to 
enable students of all ages to be more physically active. The strategy may 
be especially useful in achieving a shift from sedentary to light-intensity 
physical activity.