What is the impact of different levels of typical school provision of physical education, physical activity and sports on the physical activity behaviors, health and wellbeing of Irish adolescents?

Purpose: Despite the worldwide adoption of policy to promote physical activity in schools, paralleled with significant investment, a gap in the literature exists that evaluates its impact. Therefore, the primary aim of this body of work was to investigate the impact of different levels of typical school provision of physical education, physical activity and sports on the physical activity behaviors, health and wellbeing of Irish adolescents. Methods: The thesis is underpinned by seven distinct but interconnect studies; three systematic literature reviews of the extant literature that investigates the impact of typical school provision of physical education, physical activity and sports on adolescent physical activity behaviors, health and wellbeing; a group concept mapping study to inform the development of a school physical education, physical activity and sports provision evaluation index; a cross-sectional national audit into the different levels of typical school provision of physical education, physical activity and sports utilizing the provision evaluation index; an examination of the test-retest reliability of a physical activity behaviors, health and wellbeing questionnaire; and a final study that measured the physical activity behaviors, health and wellbeing of Irish adolescents according to different levels of physical education, physical activity and sports provision. Results: The evidence gleaned from chapter two, three and four supported the impact of physical education on adolescent physical activity behaviors, health and wellbeing. However, overall, much of the significantly positive data corresponded to interventions with minor modifications to typical school provision. A paucity of empirical evidence pertaining to the impact of typical school provision of physical activity and sports in parallel with physical education was evident. An eight-cluster framework was derived from the data gleaned in chapter five including 1. Partnerships and Pupil Centered Physical Education; 2. Physical Activity and ...