Changes in Objectively Measured School-Time Physical During the Pilot Phase of the National Finnish Schools on the Move Programme

Introduction: The on-going Finnish Schools on the Move programme aims to make the school day more physically active. This study investigated how school-time physical activity changed in students from grades 1 to 9 in two academic years during the pilot phase of the programme.

Methods: The data was collected in 2010-2012 during the pilot phase of the Finnish Schools on the Move programme. The study population consisted of 116 girls and 88 boys (aged 7 to 15 years) from six schools (two programme and one reference schools in grades 1-6, and the same setting in grades 7-9). Physical activity was measured four times over the 1.5-year follow-up using an ActiGraph (GT1M/GT3X) accelerometer for seven consecutive days. Changes in MVPA time during school hours in different schools were evaluated.

Results: Students’ mean MVPA time during school hours was higher in primary schools (grades 1-6) compared to secondary schools (grades 7-9) (5.3 vs. 2.7 min/h, p<0.001). In one programme primary school, MVPA time during school hours increased from 4.5 to 6.6 minutes per hour (p=0.003). In the other programme primary school, MVPA time during school hours was higher compared to the reference school during the whole follow-up period. In other schools, only minor changes in MVPA time occurred.

Conclusion: In the primary schools, either the levels of activity or the changes in activity during school hours compared favourably with those of the reference school.