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FUTURE RESEARCH NEEDS AND AREAS 
FOR ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION
Even though much is known about physical activity in youth, more 
knowledge is needed. In addition to developing recommendations for 
action to strengthen and improve programs and policies for physical activ-
ity and physical education in the school environment, the committee was 
asked to identify major gaps in knowledge and recommend key topic areas 
in need of research. These gaps are acknowledged in the discussion of the 
evidence in each chapter of this report. They are also highlighted here to 
emphasize the importance of continuing to refine the research base on 
which future recommendations can be made for advancing the health and 
academic achievement of children and youth through physical education 
and physical activity in schools.
The committee identified a number of broad future research needs and 
areas for additional investigation:
•
What are the effects of various doses of physical activity and 
the settings in which those doses occur on measures of academic 
achievement? 
•
How can the whole-of-school approach be expanded to include 
opportunities for community-based promotion of physical activity?
•
What are the short- and long-term health, developmental, and aca-
demic impacts of physical education on children and adolescents?
•
What are the acute and long-term health, developmental, and aca-
demic effects of daily sedentary behavior in school?
•
What specific features of the built environment in schools influence