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Physical education classes are only part of a comprehensive approach to promoting physical activity that is based in or linked to schools. Extramural activities, intramurals, walking to school, inter-scholastic sports, school-wide special events, parent involvement, safe equipment, adequate facilities, coordination with community recreation and sports organizations and student-led activities are all part of this comprehensive approach. The comprehensive approach to physical activity has been called, "Active Living Schools", "Active Schools", "Ever Active Schools" and "Active School Communities". This approach is used for several other health issues and is most often defines as Comprehensive School Health Approach in Canada. The evidence supporting the use of multiple, coordinated school-related interventions to promote physical activity is becoming stronger and stronger. The Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute (CFLRI) has summarized a research review on the effect of recess facilities, psychosocial support, policies, role modeling by staff, cues and incentives. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States have prepared an extensive and impressive array of research reports in its overview on Promoting Better Health for Young People Through Physical Activity and Sports that include Guidelines to Promote Lifelong Physical Activity and a list of related reports. Other CDC research reviews show how schools should fit within community-wide campaigns to promote physical activity. CFLRI has summarized the findings of researchers studying this community-wide approach in North Karelia, Finland. Research reviews show that community efforts to provide social support and increase access to places that offer physical activity are key. Advocates of physical activity can turn to these planning tools to assist them in developing a comprehensive school-community approach:
The instructional
and co-curricular elements of a comprehensive school-community
approach to promoting physical activity have been described in
the section on Best Practices in PE.
This summary provides links to resources on the
non-instructional elements of a comprehensive approach.
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