that create purposeful movements as an integral part of the lifestyle.181 Physical activity, gender, and school achievement Systemic thinking can help to paint a general picture of how different factors, such as goals and resources in school, can affect physical activity. The long-term goal of physical activity is to contribute to the school’s health, development, and school performance. Foundations for a healthy life are laid. A more immediate result is that physical activity is carried out which can contribute to giving students competences and motivation for physical activity as well as social engagement through joint physical activity. It is important that students develop a physical literacy, which includes competence and motivation for physical activity. The social dimension is a major ingredient: joint physical activity adds value and contributes to the repetition and maintenance of activities. Means to achieve this can be active transport to and from the school, teaching the school subject of sports and health, physical activity in the classroom, what happens during breaks, and physical activity and sports during school day and leisure, doable in many different ways. Active transport to and from school: Most studies of active transport are about walking or cycling to and from school. Overview articles have summarised the state of knowledge.182,183 These studies are typically small, but five studies covered large groups and showed good results. Regular participation in physical activity is important for school performance: A review article based on 39 studies demonstrated the psychological and intellectual benefits of school-based physical activity programmes. 184 The greatest effects were seen in aerobic exercise such as jogging on site. Good effects were demonstrated by physical activities carried out in groups (10–30 students). Another review article focused on the relationship between physical activity and diets, and the cognitive development of young children (6 Whitehead, M. (2010). Physical literacy: Throughout the lifecourse. International Studies in Physical Education and Youth Sport. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. 182 Chillon, P., Evenson, K. R., Vaughn, A., & Ward, D. S. (2011). A systematic review of interventions promoting active transportation to school. Journal of Behavior, Nutrition and Physical Activity, 8(10). https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-8-10 183 Villa-González, E., Barranco-Ruiz, Y., Evenson, K. R., & Chillón, P. (2018). Systematic review of interventions for promoting active school transport. Preventive Medicine, 111, 115–134. 184 Fedewa, A.-L., & Ahn, S. (2011). The effects of physical activity and physical fitness on children’s achievement and cognitive outcomes: A meta-analysis. Research Quarterly of Exercise and Sport, 82(3), 521–535. 181
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