The shifting landscape of physical activity among school-aged children and adolescents in the United Kingdom: A descriptive study from 2019 to 2023

Article

Ha, T., Dauenhauer, B., Watts, P., Buscombe, R., Jafar Junior, M. and Dryer, G. 2025. The shifting landscape of physical activity among school-aged children and adolescents in the United Kingdom: A descriptive study from 2019 to 2023. Journal of Public Health. p. In press. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-025-02405-4
AuthorsHa, T., Dauenhauer, B., Watts, P., Buscombe, R., Jafar Junior, M. and Dryer, G.
Abstract

Aim
This study investigated physical activity (PA) trends among school-aged children and adolescents in the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2023, focusing on the duration, types, and locations of their activities.

Subject and methods
A descriptive observational design was employed using data collected from the miMove digital platform. A sample of 328,107 entries from the platform were analyzed. These entries were made by 13,377 students, of whom 53.5% were female and aged between 9 and 16. Descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations were used to examine changes in the duration, types, and locations of PA reported between 2019 and 2023. The trends were then graphically interpreted over the 5-year period.

Results
Between 2019 and 2023, the COVID-19 pandemic had an observable impact on the PA patterns of school-aged children and adolescents. The duration of PA decreased during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, but it gradually returned to pre-pandemic levels by 2023. The pandemic resulted in walking becoming a more popular form of PA than structured and contact sports, and students were more likely to engage in PA outside of school settings.

Conclusion
School districts, schools, and teachers should be aware of PA trends among students to effectively support positive health behaviors during a global pandemic or at any time. Implementing whole-of-school approaches to PA promotion is beneficial, as they take into account opportunities within and beyond the regular school day. Teachers and school staff could enhance their understanding of strategies to promote PA through additional training considering these different contexts.

JournalJournal of Public Health
Journal citationp. In press
ISSN0943-1853
1613-2238
Year2025
PublisherSpringer Nature
Accepted author manuscript
License
File Access Level
Anyone
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-025-02405-4
Publication dates
Online18 Jan 2025
Publication process dates
Accepted08 Jan 2025
Deposited21 Jan 2025
Copyright holder© 2025, The Authors, under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature
Copyright informationThis version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: 10.1007/s10389-025-02405-4
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