By Tyler Durden | 27 June 2022
ZERO HEDGE — Researchers from the University of Georgia (UGA) find a whopping 75% of teens aren’t getting enough exercise and suggest it may have to do with students’ school environment.
“The length of recess, physical facilities and social environments at schools have been found to affect physical activity among students,” lead study author Janani R. Thapa, an associate professor of health policy and management at UGA’s College of Public Health, told the university’s newspaper.
Thapa and her co-authors examined data of 362,926 students (48% males and 52% females) from the Georgia Student Health Survey, revealing the alarming inactivity among teens. The data included eight characteristics of climate: school connectedness, peer social support, adult social support, cultural acceptance, physical environment, school safety, peer victimization (bullying), and school support environment.
Researchers also found female students experienced less physical activity than their male counterparts. Only 35% were active compared to 57% of males. And physical activity decreased from ninth grade to 12th grade for both genders.
“Over time, the state has observed declining levels of physical activity among all adolescents, but the rate is higher among female middle and high school students,” Thapa said.
Thapa pointed out students of both genders were more physically active when the school climate was more positive. She concluded by saying the findings suggest that K-12 schools should consider ways to improve a school’s environment to bolster physical activity among teens. […]
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