Teens taught about activity, with choices, said they meant to be more active

The study

1. 01

   Who took part

   179 students aged 13 to 15, in years eight and nine at one city school, probably in Spain. About half were girls.

2. 02

   What they did

   Both groups had eight PE lessons of about an hour, twice a week for four weeks, with the same fitness and games. One group had half its lessons out in local parks and sports centres. They also learned how much activity is healthy, planned an active week, got their own fitness plans and chose what to do. The other group had the usual lessons, only in school.

3. 03

   What happened

   At the end, teens in the new lessons said they meant to be more active, while the usual group changed little. Their wish to be active for their own reasons did not rise clearly more, and trackers showed no extra activity. The paper's numbers don't always match, and its summary claims more than the results show.

What the study found

1. HelpedMotivation

   Teens who learned about being active, planned a week and picked their sports wanted to stay active more than others.

   • Action: Learn how the problem workstested
   • Action: Plan your weektested
   • Rule: Choose it yourselftested
   • Rule: Use the method that fits youtested

   Randomised trial of 179 13- to 15-year-olds at one school · vs the same PE lessons taught only in school · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole groups were assigned, not people; numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show

2. No differenceMotivation

   The same lessons did not clearly make teens want to be active for their own reasons more than usual lessons.

   • Action: Learn how the problem workstested
   • Action: Plan your weektested
   • Rule: Choose it yourselftested
   • Rule: Use the method that fits youtested

   Randomised trial of 179 13- to 15-year-olds at one school · vs the same PE lessons taught only in school · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole groups were assigned, not people; numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show

3. MixedGoals

   Teens said they were more active after school, but trackers showed no more activity than with the usual lessons.

   • Action: Learn how the problem workstested
   • Action: Plan your weektested
   • Rule: Choose it yourselftested
   • Rule: Use the method that fits youtested

   Randomised trial of 179 13- to 15-year-olds at one school · vs the same PE lessons taught only in school · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole groups were assigned, not people; numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show

Source