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The Environment and Physical Activity
The discussion to this point has focused primarily on how different 
segments of the school day, such as physical education class or recess, and 
the policies that affect them can influence physical activity behaviors. Also 
important is the physical environment in which the various segments of the 
day take place and the policies that shape it.
As in communities generally, the built environment of a school plays 
a role in access to opportunities for physical activity. In particular, policies 
supporting adequate space for leisure-time or after-school active program-
ming may decrease overall sedentary time. McKenzie and colleagues (2000) 
used an objective measure of the outdoor environment during leisure time 
in a middle school setting. They found that few students took advantage of 
opportunities to be physically active during leisure time at school, and they 
recommend policies and environmental manipulations (e.g., supervision, 
equipment, structured programs) to attract more adolescents, especially 
girls, to existing activity areas.
Equally important is the location of schools. School siting policies at 
the state or local level can dictate the size of schools, the distance between 
homes and schools, and general school locations. Not only do these factors 
impact the ability to commute actively to and from school (McDonald and 
Aalborg, 2009), but a school’s location in relation to facilities for physical 
activity may encourage such activity. In a study by Trilk and colleagues 
(2011), 12th-grade girls who attended schools with at least five facilities for 
physical activity within the designated parameter reported more physical 
activity per day than girls in schools with fewer than five such facilities. In 
addition, girls who attended rural schools surrounded by at least five such 
facilities reported about 12 percent more physical activity per day than 
girls who attended rural schools with fewer than five such facilities nearby. 
The authors conclude that the number of facilities for physical activity sur-
rounding the area should be considered when school siting decisions are 
made. 

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Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
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