Physical activities to improve children’s health (PATCH): implementing a school-based intervention for children

In this chapter the authors describe factors important for designing, implementing, and evaluating school-based interventions aimed at increasing physical activity or reducing sedentary behaviour among children in order to improve health. They describe the levels of physical activity being achieved by children living in Northern Ireland in a school setting and provide evidence as to why taking part in physical activity has health benefits. The authors then outline how they conducted a needs assessment to design the ‘Physical Activities to Improve Children's Health’ (PATCH) programme content. They also consider the various psychological theories/models and associated behaviour-change techniques that underpin physical activity interventions, the practical issues to be considered when implementing such interventions, the measurement tools used to evaluate intervention outcomes. Strong scientific evidence confirms that regular participation in physical activity in childhood is associated with enhanced health in both childhood and in later adult life.