Germany’s 2018 report card on physical activity for children and youth

The German Report Card on Physical Activity
for Children and Youth 2018 provides
a summary and a comprehensive evaluation
of physical activity levels and correlated
indicators using the Active Healthy Kids
Canada grading framework. The Report Card
aims to benchmark the national actions
promoting physical activity in children and
youth in Germany with the overarching goal
to raise awareness for the promotion of
physical activity. The 2018 German Report
Card focuses on adherence to physical
activity and sedentary time recommendations
identifiedbyanexpertpanel.Additionally,
settings and sources of influence as well as
strategiesandinvestmentstowardsphysical exceptionof“organizedsportparticipation”.

activity are analyzed. Sources included national surveys, peer-reviewed literature, as well as government and non-government reports. The expert panel assigned grades
to the ten Report Card indicators using existing benchmarks. Most children and youth in Germany failed to meet the World Health Organization recommendation for physical activity and engaged in high levels of sedentary behaviours despite favourable conditions within the relevant settings (e. g., schools). Therefore, we assigned poor grades for most behavioural indicators (“overall physicalactivity”,“sedentarybehaviour”,“active play” and “active transportation”) with the

It was not possible to assign grades for
two indicators—“physical fitness” and “government”—due to insufficient evidence. The fact that no evaluated government policy exists to promote physical activity in children and youth signals a need for further government action to promote physical activity and create environments that support healthy active living among children and youth in Germany.