Given the importance of physical activity to health in youth and increasing attention to its role in educational performance, coupled with the potential of schools to provide opportunities to be physically active, a 14-member ad hoc committee of the IOM was convened and charged to review the current status of physical activity and physical education in the school environment. The committee was also tasked with reviewing influences of physical activity and physical education on the short- and long-term physical health, cognition and brain health, and psychosocial health and development of children and adolescents. The committee was asked to make recommendations, as appropriate, regarding approaches for strengthening and improving programs and policies for physical activity and physical education in the school environment, including before, during, and after school. In doing so, the committee was expected to review the current status of physical activity and physical education in the school environment; review evidence on the relationship between physical activity, physical education, or physical fitness and physical, cognitive and brain, and psychosocial health and development; within a life-stage framework, consider the role of physical activity– and physical education–related programs and policies in the school environment in contributing to short- and long-term health, health behaviors, and development  recommend, as appropriate, strategic programmatic, environmental, and policy approaches for providing, strengthening, and improving physical activity and physical education opportunities and programs in the school environment, including before, during, and after school; and, as evidence was reviewed, identify major gaps in knowledge and recommend key topic areas are:

1. Academic Learning Time (ALT)-physical education (PE Active transport: Modes of transportation to and from school that involve physical activity; includes primarily walking and biking.
2. Classroom physical activity: Opportunities for physical activity integrated into classroom lessons.
3. Developmentally appropriate physical activity time.
4. Exercise
5. Extramural sports Intramural sports
6. Moderate-intensity physical activity
7. Physical activity
8. Physical activity breaks
9. Physical education: A planned sequential K-12 standards
10. Physical fitness
11. Recess
12. Vigorous-intensity physical activity

By: RHEA JOYCE C. KRIES LPT-T-1 Jose C. Payumo Jr. Memorial High School