Examining the Longitudinal Impact of Participation in School-Based Physical Education Lessons on Physical Activity Levels Among a Large Sample of Adolescents in Ontario, Canada.

Objectives: This study examined the impact of physical education (PE) participation on moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among adolescents in Canada, controlling for observed differences in individual characteristics using propensity scores.

Methods: This study utilized linked longitudinal data from Ontario students who participated in 3 years (2015/2016-2018/2019) of the COMPASS study. Sex-stratified linear mixed models were used to examine associations between PE participation and minutes of MVPA from grades 10 through 12. Models were adjusted using doubly robust propensity score methodology, through inverse probability of treatment weighting, accounting for observed covariates that may influence PE participation.

Results: Overall, 988 female and 872 male students were included in analyses. Female and male students who participated in PE during the semester of data collection reported on average 29 (22-35) and 36 (29-43) additional minutes of MVPA per day, respectively, compared with those who did not participate in PE that year. Female and male students who participated in PE during the opposite semester of data collection reported on average 11 (4-18) and 14 (7-22) additional minutes of MVPA per day, respectively, compared with students who did not participate in PE that year.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that secondary school PE participation has a significant impact on MVPA levels over time. Effects appear to be most pronounced among male students and during the semester of PE participation. These findings highlight the potential benefits of daily PE on physical activity patterns and provide evidence in support of approaches aimed at increasing PE enrollment throughout secondary schools in Ontario.