Residential area, physical education, and the health of school aged children

Explores the relationships between the perceived quality of physical education lessons, the perceived quality of opportunities for physical activity in a residential area, and the physical fitness and health of pupils attending Grades 5 and 9 in Germany. The data were collected from 300 pupils in a community in Saxony, using a standardized questionnaire and a standard test of sporting ability. Results indicated that girls evaluated the opportunities for physical activity in the residential area more critically than boys. Multivariate analysis showed that the subjective health status of pupils was associated with good physical fitness and a good perception of opportunities for physical activity in the residential area, but not with the perceived quality of physical education lessons. These results provide evidence that a relationship between the urban environment and physical activity exists, and that the promotion of physical activity for pupils can benefit from intersectoral approaches.