Considerations for Individual-Level Versus Whole-School Physical Activity Interventions: Stakeholder Perspectives

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Childhood Obesity
• School Health Interventions

Background:

• Declining physical activity in children and adolescents is a significant public health concern.
• Individual-level interventions in schools have shown limited success in increasing physical activity.
• A 'whole-school' approach, integrating physical activity across the school environment, is gaining attention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore stakeholder perspectives on the ineffectiveness of individual-level interventions.
• To identify barriers and facilitators for implementing a whole-school approach to physical activity in UK schools.
• To inform future research and policy for promoting physical activity in educational settings.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study utilizing inductive data analysis.
• Conducted 19 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders involved in school physical activity programs in the UK.
• Explored perspectives on intervention design, implementation environments, and adoption factors.

Main Results:

• Stakeholders indicated individual-level interventions often lack end-user consultation and are implemented in unsupportive environments.
• Key barriers and facilitators for whole-school approach adoption and implementation were identified.
• A need for research focusing on educational outcomes and whole-school implementation insights was highlighted.

Conclusions:

• A shift from individual-level to whole-school approaches is recommended for greater impact on children's physical activity.
• Understanding specific UK contextual factors is crucial for successful whole-school intervention implementation.
• Future research should prioritize evidence generation on educational benefits and practical implementation strategies for whole-school physical activity initiatives.