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Trends in Policies on After-School Programs
Before- and after-school programs offer additional opportunities to 
increase physical activity among youth. These opportunities also can be 
influenced by policy. Currently, no national surveillance system monitors 
the existence of such policies. However, Beets and colleagues (2010b) 
conducted a systematic review of state-level after-school program organiza-
tions to identify existing standards and policies, which they found in 47 
states. Only about one-third of states’ written documentation specifically 
addressed providing opportunities for physical activity during after-school 
programs, and only four states had comprehensive language specifying 
training requirements, student-staff ratios, planning/evaluation of after-
school physical activity, and time allocated for physically activity. In a 
follow-up study, Beets and colleagues (2010a) examined the amounts of 
physical activity children obtained while attending after-school programs in 
states with comprehensive policies addressing physical activity and found 
that children did not meet the physical activity levels outlined in the poli-
cies. Given the variation in the language of existing policies, they suggest 
the need to develop a model policy for incorporating physical activity into 
after-school programs. 
Recently, the Healthy Out of School Time Coalition was formed, con-
sisting of individuals from major after-school program organizations and 
policy leaders, to develop evidenced-based Healthy Eating and Physical 
Activity Quality Standards for use in out-of-school-time settings. The final 
consensus document recommends that after-school programs provide chil-
dren “with at least 30 minutes of organized, inclusive physical activity for 
every three hours of program time” (Wiecha et al., 2012, p. 574). In addi-
tion, the standards address policy content, provision of staff training, and 
appropriate program infrastructure and curriculum, as well as the provision 
of supportive social and physical environments.