Results from the Philippines' 2022 report card on physical activity for
children and adolescents
Jonathan Y. Cagas
a, *
, Marla Frances T. Mallari
a
, Beatriz A. Torre
b
, Mary-Grace D.P. Kang
c
,
Yves Y. Palad
c
, Roselle M. Guisihan
c
, Maria Isabela Aurellado
a
, Chessa Sanchez-Pituk
d
,
John Guiller P. Realin
d
, Marvin Luis C. Sabado
e
, Marie Eloisa D. Ulanday
e
,
Jacqueline F. Baltasar
d
, Mona Liza A. Maghanoy
a
, Ralph Andrew A. Ramos
a
,
Revin Aaron B. Santos
a
, Catherine M. Capio
f
a
Department of Sports Science, College of Human Kinetics, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
b
Department of Psychology, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
c
Department of Physical Therapy, College of Allied Medical Professions, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila City, Philippines
d
Department of Physical Education, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila City, Philippines
e
Department of Physical Education, College of Human Kinetics, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
f
The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
article info
Article history:
Received 8 July 2022
Received in revised form
19 September 2022
Accepted 1 October 2022
Available online 7 October 2022
Keywords:
Active living
Low-to-middle income countries
Physical activity promotion
Physical fitness
Public health
Sedentary behavior
abstract
Background/Objective: The 2022 Philippine Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents
provides a comprehensive assessment of physical activity and other related behaviors, including the
various factors and settings that influence these behaviors. It serves as an advocacy tool to increase
awareness of the physical activity situation among children and young people in the country. This article
describes the development and results of the first Philippine Report Card on Physical Activity for Children
and Adolescents.
Methods: Following a systematic process provided by the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance, a team
consisting of 25 sports and physical activity specialists identified and reviewed the best available na-
tionally representative data related to physical activity indicators. These data were then used to inform
the grades of the ten (10) physical activity indicators.
Results: Sufficient data were identified to assign grades to five (5) indicators: Overall Physical Activity (F),
Active Transportation (D), Sedentary Behavior (B), School (C-), and Government (B). Insufficient data
existed to assign grades to the remaining five (5) indicators: Organized Sport and Physical Activity, Active
Play, Physical Fitness, Family and Peers, and Community and Environment.
Conclusion: Despite government policies related to physical activity in the country, the majority of
children and adolescents in the Philippines do not meet the recommended amount of physical activity
for health. More work is needed to improve the translation of these policies into measurable programs,
highlighting the need to create better physical activity opportunities and develop national surveillance
mechanisms.
© 2022 The Society of Chinese Scholars on Exercise Physiology and Fitness. Published by Elsevier
(Singapore) Pte Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Abbreviations: AHKGA, Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance; PA, physical activity; SB, sedentary behavior; YAFS4, Young Adult Fertilityand Sexuality Survey 4; FNRI ENNS,
Food and Nutrition Research Institute Enhanced National Nutrition Survey.
* Corresponding author. College of Human Kinetics, cor. E. Jacinto and Magsaysay St., University of the Philippines Diliman,1101 Quezon City, Philippines.
E-mail addresses: jycagas@up.edu.ph (J.Y. Cagas), mtmallari@up.edu.ph (M.F.T. Mallari), batorre1@up.edu.ph (B.A. Torre), mldelapena2@up.edu.ph (M.-G.D.P. Kang),
yypalad@up.edu.ph (Y.Y. Palad), rmguisihan@up.edu.ph (R.M. Guisihan), mbaurellado2@alum.up.edu.ph (M.I. Aurellado), cspituk@up.edu.ph (C. Sanchez-Pituk), jprealin@
up.edu.ph (J.G.P. Realin), mcsabado@up.edu.ph (M.L.C. Sabado), mdulanday@up.edu.ph (M.E.D. Ulanday), jfbaltasar@up.edu.ph (J.F. Baltasar), mamaghanoy@up.edu.ph
(M.L.A. Maghanoy), raramos6@up.edu.ph (R.A.A. Ramos), rdsantos2@up.edu.ph (R.A.B. Santos), ccapio@eduhk.hk (C.M. Capio).
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jesf
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesf.2022.10.001
1728-869X/© 2022 The Society of Chinese Scholars on Exercise Physiology and Fitness. Published by Elsevier (Singapore) Pte Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC
BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness 20 (2022) 382e390