Cross-sectional evidence supports for school connectedness as an important element of healthy youth development. Prospective studies are needed to argue its causal relationship. The aim of this study was to examine whether school connectedness is a determinant of WHO physical activity recommendation for youth in a sample of Japanese junior high school students.
Analyses were based on one-year with two time-point data of 505 students (265 boys) who entered in five junior high schools in one Okinawan educational office in 2015. School connectedness was evaluated using the sum of a scale constructed from three items “I like school”, “School is a nice place to be”, and “Sense of belonging at school”. Self-reported physical activity was assessed using the Patient-Centred Assessment and Counselling for Exercise plus Nutrition questionnaire.
According to the analysis by the Generalized Estimating Equation models adjusted for BMI, academic achievement, family structure, and parental education level, the changes in school connectedness score within-person and the differences in average of school connectedness score two-time points between-person were associated with physical activity. Totally, no sex differences in these relationships were found.
Establishing school connectedness can contribute to the compliance with WHO physical activity recommendation in Japanese junior high school students, regardless of the interindividual differences of level of connectedness to school. Although further research is required to identify the effects of school connectedness on other health-related behaviors, increasing school connectedness should be a consideration for school administrators and health-promotion policymakers.
