The effects of school-based physical activity interventions on students' health-related fitness knowledge: A systematic review

• Significant positive intervention effects on students' HRF knowledge in 79.4% of the studies.
• Intervention effects on students' HRF knowledge were moderated to a small extent by students' age.
• Studies with low methodological quality had more frequent positive intervention effects.
• Students' HRF knowledge was independent of content, duration and frequency of the programme.
• Few studies simultaneously influence knowledge and behaviour.

This systematic review includes 34 studies examining the effects of school-based physical activity interventions on students' health-related fitness knowledge. The study design, methodological quality, and effectiveness of interventions on students' health-related fitness knowledge were analysed. The majority of the studies (79.4%) revealed significant positive intervention effects on students' health-related fitness knowledge. Studies examining adolescents were more frequently in a position to influence students' health-related fitness knowledge (87.5%) than studies examining children (75%), and studies with low methodological quality (88.8%) had more frequent positive effects than studies with moderate quality (75%). The effects on students' health-related fitness knowledge were independent of moderator variables such as the intervention content, duration and frequency. Only few studies were able to simultaneously positively influence students' health-related fitness knowledge and students' physical activity and/or fitness levels. These programmes can positively influence students' health-related fitness knowledge, but it remains unclear what the practical significance of these changes is. Further research is needed to clarify the influence of students' health-related fitness knowledge on reflection, understanding, physical activity behaviour, and overall physical literacy levels.