Reconstructing schoolyards with greenery to increase schoolchildren´s physical activity and health and mitigate climate changes in urban areas

Research problem and specific questionsMore than half of Swedish schoolchildren do not meet the physical activity guidelines, which will have long-lasting effects on their health in adulthood. The school environment plays a crucial role in establishing healthy physical activity behaviors for a population.

By reconstructing physical activity promoting schoolyards with greenery, physical activity levels among children can be increased at the population level and also mitigate health and environmental risks resulting from rising climate changes in urban areas.

Research questions:How does schoolyard reconstruction affect physical activity levels, blood pressure, BMI, mental health and sleep in schoolchildren?Which components of schoolyard reconstruction are associated with changes (if any) in physical activity levels, blood pressure, BMI, mental health and sleep in schoolchildren?Are there components in the schoolyard reconstruction that affect the health outcomes of girls and boys differently?What would be the cost-effectiveness of schoolyard reconstruction on the physical activity and health outcomes of school children, and its impact on the microclimate and CO2-emissions in urban areas, if the project would be extended to other schools in Stockholm, and possibly Sweden as a whole?

Data and MethodThe project will be designed as a quasi-experimental stepped-wedge trial, with schools serving as both intervention and control schools.

Over the course of four years (2024-2027), a total of 20 schoolyard reconstructions will be evaluated, with five reconstructions per year. This project will include second and fifth grade children, totaling 3 600 children.

Societal Relevance and UtilizationThe majority of schoolyards in Stockholm lack appealing play areas and are instead dominated by concrete and asphalt surfaces.

As school participation is not segregated by socioeconomic factors, schoolyard reconstructions that promote physical activity can benefit children from all socioeconomic groups.

Additionally, reconstructing schoolyards with greenery can mitigate health and environmental risks associated with increasing climate changes in urban areas.

Plan for Project RealizationA formal decision has been made by the City of Stockholm to reconstruct 20 Stockholm public schoolyards from 2024 to 2027.

The proposed project is a co-creation effort between the City of Stockholm, Cancerfonden, Arwidssonstiftelsen and Karolinska Institutet evaluating the effects of this decision.