Promoting physical activity as a healthy habit through quality physical education: Does knowledge on habitual behaviours help?

Abstract

Childhood and adolescent obesity have become one of the most important challenges to overcome in the 21st century. Practiced regularly, physical activity (PA) has significant benefits for health in youth, such as normal growth and a reduction of the risk of suffering from obesity and associated health problems. The role of habits for the engagement in PA are discussed. Understanding how habits are developed may help comprehending that PA can become habitual. Furthermore, that knowledge is useful for designing interventions to rise the levels of participation in PA for health campaigns (promoting PA maintenance for long-term health) and NCT prevention. PE also plays an important role in the promotion of PA among children and adolescents, especially when quality physical education is implemented.