Quality or quantity? Physical education for the improvement of health-related physical fitness outcomes and fundamental motor skills among youth
Mikel Izquierdo
Full professor. Department of Health Sciences. Universidad Pública de Navarra-Navarrabiomed
Schools are ideal settings for the promotion of physical activity and exercise among children and adolescents, and physical education (PE) is the primary vehicle to achieve these objectives. Numerous studies examining moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in school PE lessons have been conducted, and show that the proportion of PE lesson time during which children and adolescents are engaged in MVPA is typically less than 50% of the target set by international recommendations. Despite the abundance of studies on this topic, whether quality- or quantity-based physical education interventions are more suited for the improvement of health-related physical fitness outcomes and fundamental motor skills (FMS) in children and adolescents is unknown.
Our meta-analysis reveals with 48,185 youth that quality-based physical education interventions are associated with small increases in fitness components and fundamental motor skills, without requiring an increase in frequency or duration of physical education lessons. By contrast, quantity-based interventions are related with small increases only in fitness components.
Subgroup analyses suggested that fitness infusion strategies (i.e., high-intensity interval training, jump training, circuit training) and studies carried out in primary education level favor stronger associations for quality-based PE interventions. Quantity-100 based PE interventions are related with small increases only in cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and speed-agility
Quality-based PE interventions can produce small increases in both student health-related physical fitness components and FMS, without requiring an increase in frequency or duration of PE lessons. Since PE aims to improve more than health, high levels of active learning time need to be balanced with opportunities for instruction, feedback, and reflection. The study suggests that increase in quality-based strategies would be required to maximize physical education class efficiency, assuming typical school constraints (e.g., reduced practice time per session).