Kids who wear school uniforms more likely to get less exercise: study

By Imogen Howse via SWNS

Children who wear school uniforms get less exercise than those who wear their own clothes, suggests a new study.

Analysis of more than one million students across the world has found that physical activity levels are lower in countries where uniforms are more commonplace.

Primary school girls are the most affected, which researchers linked to uniform items that are less well suited to exercise – such as skirts and dresses.

The University of Cambridge study set out to establish what proportion of children meet the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendation of 60 minutes of moderate physical activity per day.

The research team studied nearly 1.1 million children aged five to 17 in 135 countries and found that, in the countries where the majority of schools required students to wear uniforms, the levels of exercise were lower.

In countries where uniform-wearing was the norm, 16 percent of students met WHO recommendations; but in countries where home clothes were the norm, 19.5 percent of students met exercise targets.

The new study, published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, also found that boys were 1.5 times more likely to reach recommended activity levels than girls.

The gap was particularly wide amongst primary school children who wear uniforms but the same result was not found in secondary school-aged students.

Lead author Dr Mairead Ryan, a researcher at the University of Cambridge’s Faculty of Education, said: “There is already evidence that girls feel less comfortable participating in active play if they are wearing certain types of clothing, such as skirts or dresses.

“This can be more marked among primary school children as they get more incidental exercise throughout the school day, for example by running, climbing, and various other forms of active play at break and lunch.”

Senior author Dr. Esther van Sluijs, an investigator at Cambridge’s MRC Epidemiology Unit, added: “Girls might feel less confident about doing things like cartwheels and tumbles in the playground, or riding a bike on a windy day, if they are wearing a skirt or dress.

“Social norms and expectations tend to influence what they feel they can do in these clothes. Unfortunately, when it comes to promoting physical health, that’s a problem.”

The study reinforces previous research which raised concerns about uniforms and school sports kits, particularly for girls.

For example, a 2021 study in England found that the design of girls’ PE uniforms deterred students from participation.

The team at the University of Cambridge has therefore argued that further investigations should be done to establish a relationship between school uniforms and lower activity levels, as their findings fall short of proving causation.

Dr. Ryan said: “We are not trying to suggest a blanket ban on uniforms but to present new evidence to support decision-making.

“School communities could consider design and whether specific characteristics of a uniform might either encourage or restrict any opportunities for physical activity across the day.

“This is important because regular physical activity helps support multiple physical, mental, and well-being needs, as well as academic outcomes.”

Discussing how to increase children’s exercise outside of PE and sports lessons, she continued: “Activities like walking or cycling to school, break time games, and after-school outdoor play can all help young people incorporate physical activity into their daily routines.

“That’s why we are interested in the extent to which various elements of young people’s environments, including what they wear, encourage such behaviors.”