Physical education: clear and present benefits and responsibilities. The Fritz Duras memorial lecture 2017

ABSTRACT

A habitually active environment is a feature of past times, and in stark contrast with that experienced by our children today. Consequently, twenty-first century physical education (PE) assumes a position of great responsibility. This is especially true in primary schools; a premise recently strongly supported by published evidence from the Australian LOOK randomised controlled trial. This trial, consisting of an intervention of specialist-conducted PE over four years, extends on previous research to clearly demonstrate reduction in the early appearance of risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in boys and girls, together with evidence of beneficial structural development in the bone and left ventricle of girls. In addition, the children undertaking the specialist PE enjoyed a substantially increased progression in nationally assessed numeracy and literacy. Of concern, however, is that these benefits were in relation to a control group of PE taught by classroom teachers, who usually assume responsibility for PE in at least four days of the week. To address this, an economically realistic scheme is being trialled to provide primary schools with the means of delivering the quality and quantity of PE commensurate with the demonstrated benefits.

KEYWORDS:

• Physical education
• physical activity
• randomised controlled trial
• chronic disease risk
• academic performance

Acknowledgments

The LOOK study relied on the leadership and project management of Dr Rohan Telford, together with the team work from core staff members Dr Lisa Olive and Dr Ross Cunningham, along with Professors Walter Abhayaratna and Don Byrne, whose collaboration with publications and work in the field has continued since 2004. Thanks are also extended to the many other collaborators in LOOK publications, especially Professors Julia Potter and Peter Hickman and Dr Emma Southwell, who have also directed all of our blood assay work. The Bluearth Foundation Board and staff, through its founder and patron Malcolm Freake AM, not only provided the physical education specialists for our intervention but designed the physical education program central to the LOOK investigation. The Commonwealth Education Trust, through Chairperson Ms Judith Hanratty CVO, OBE provided vital support during the primary school phase of the LOOK study which formed the basis of this article. Finally, gratitude is expressed for the enthusiasm and inspiration generated by my many physical education colleagues over the years: from ACHPER, the Dip Phys Ed students at Melbourne University (especially the ongoing support and advice from Dr Laurie Prosser), and from the Victorian Physical Education Centre and Human Movement and Physical Education Departments at the Phillip Institute of Technology (now part of RMIT).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Note on contributor

Beginning his professional career as a physical education and mathematics teacher, Dick Telford’s postgraduate studies in physiology and biochemistry at the University of Melbourne led to lecturing appointments in tertiary education and at the Australian Institute of Sport as the inaugural appointment in Sports Science. He is currently Professorial Fellow and Team Leader in Physical Literacy at the University of Canberra, and Adjunct Professor in the Medical School at the Australian National University. Combining his academic career with international athletics coaching, he has been recognised for his contributions to Australian sports coaching and research with Membership of the Order of Australia (AM), and induction into the Australian Sporting Hall of Fame.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Commonwealth Education Trust.