Policies and Practices to
Promote Physical Activity in
Minnesota Schools
Toben F. Nelson, ScD
Division of Epidemiology and Community Health
School of Public Health
University of Minnesota
The evidence
•  Regular physical activity is
good for physical and
mental health
•  Increasing school-based
activity leads to improved
academic performance and
standardized test scores
•  Few students achieve the
recommended levels of
physical activity
ALR, 2007; CDC 2010
Science-based
Recommendations
•  Increase the amount and
quality of physical
education
•  Incorporate physical
activity into regular
classroom activities
•  Support extra-curricular
physical activity (e.g.,
inter-scholastic sports,
intramurals)
•  Provide recess
CDC, 2010
Research Questions
Are physical activity levels of students
in Minnesota…
1.  Changing over time (2001-2010)
2.  Patterned by:
•  Sex (Male, Female)
•  Grade (6th, 9th, 12th)
•  Type of school (location, minority
enrollment, free/reduced lunch)
Research Questions
Are school policies that promote
physical activity…
1.  Changing over time (2001-2010)
2.  Patterned by:
•  Location (Urban, Suburban, Rural)
•  % Minority (Low: < 20%; High: ≥20%)
•  % Free/reduced lunch (Low: < 40%; High:
≥40%)
3.  Impacting student physical activity
Data
•  Minnesota Student Survey
–  Most secondary schools in Minnesota
–  Grades 6, 9 & 12
•  School Health Profiles
–  Surveys of Principals and Health Educators
–  Coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention
–  500+ secondary schools in Minnesota
Students in lower Grades are more
Physically Active
Boys are more Physically Active
0.80
0.70
0.60
0.50
0.40
Boys Grade 9
Boys Grade
12
Girls Grade 9
0.30
0.20
Girls Grade
12
0.10
0.00
2001
2004
2007
2010
Activity is somewhat lower among
Racial/Ethnic minorities
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
White
0.3
Native
American
Black
0.2
Hispanic
Asian
0.1
0
2001
2004
2007
2010
School-level differences by
Location are modest
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
City
0.4
Suburb
Rural
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
2001
2004
2007
2010
Striking Disparities in Physical Activity
by Free/Reduced Lunch over time
%
% Free/reduced Lunch
School Polices and Practices to
Promote Physical Activity
1.  Required Physical Education courses
2.  Intramural programs are offered
3.  Physical Activity topics are addressed in
Health Education courses
–  12-items (alpha=0.91)
Require PE in Grade 11 or 12
25
20
% of
schools
15
10
5
0
2004
2006
2008
2010
Require PE by Location
50
40
30
City
Suburb
20
Rural
10
0
2004
2006
2008
2010
Intramural Programs
•  Overall, three in five schools offered
intramural programs
•  Stable over time
•  intramural programs were more common
in urban (p<0.0001) and suburban
(p=0.0062) locations compared with rural
locations.
Physical Activity Topics in Health
Education
1.  Physical, psychological, or social benefits of physical activity
2.  Health-related fitness (endurance, strength, flexibility, and
body composition)
3.  Phases of a workout
4.  How much physical activity is enough
5.  Developing an individualized physical activity plan
6.  Monitoring progress toward reaching goals in a plan
7.  Overcoming barriers to physical activity
8.  Decreasing sedentary activities
9.  Opportunities for physical activity in the community
10.  Preventing injury during physical activity
11.  Weather-related safety
12.  Dangers of using performance-enhancing drugs
Number of PA Topics in Health
Education
12
9
2002
2004
6
2006
2008
2010
3
0
PAE Score
Assessing the Effects of Changes
in Physical Activity Policy
•  Rigorous design for policy study
•  Physical activity not associated with
changes in policy
•  Challenges
–  Small number of schools in our sample
–  Measure of physical activity is imprecise
–  Policy changes happen in schools with low
activity
Conclusions
•  Many Minnesota students do not get
sufficient physical activity
•  Girls and Students in upper grades are less
active
•  Modest overall increase in activity over time
-High FRPL schools got much better,
-less change in low FRPL school
•  Very few schools require physical education
courses in upper grades
•  Some schools may need more supports to
promote activity
Thank you!
Toben F. Nelson
tfnelson@umn.edu