R ESEARCH A RTICLE State Policies About Physical Activity Minutes in Physical Education or During School JORDAN A. CARLSON, MA a JAMES F. SALLIS, PhD b JAMIE F. CHRIQUI, PhD, MHS c LINDA SCHNEIDER, DC, MS d LINDSEY C. MCDERMID, MS e PEGGY AGRON, MA, RD f ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: School policies can change practices on a relatively permanent basis. This study investigated adoption and implementation of state-level policies specifying minutes (or percent) of physical activity in physical education (PE) or during school. METHODS: Policies were identified from existing databases and rated as having weak, moderate, or strong wording. Interviews with state-level PE coordinators were conducted to investigate the level of implementation, monitoring, and enforcement of the identified policies. RESULTS: Sixteen states had a policy that met inclusion criteria (19 policies total); 11 states had a policy addressing minutes of physical activity during school, 2 had a policy addressing percent of PE time to be spent in physical activity, and 3 had policies addressing both. None of the 19 policies were rated as having strong wording and 5 were rated as having moderate wording. The range in minutes of physical activity per week addressed in the policies was 60 to 300. Four of the 5 (elementary) and 5 of 5 (middle) policies addressing percent of PE spent physically active specified 50%. The only monitoring efforts reported consisted of schools self-reporting progress to the state. CONCLUSIONS: More states need to adopt school physical activity policies and policy language needs to be more specific to prevent potential loopholes. Monitoring and evaluation strategies, beyond school self-report, are likely needed for these policies to lead to increases in physical activity. Keywords: child and adolescent health; physical fitness and sport; legislation. Citation: Carlson JA, Sallis JF, Chriqui JF, Schneider L, McDermid LC, Agron P. State policies about physical activity minutes in physical education or during school. J Sch Health. 2013; 83: 150-156. Received on July 1, 2011 Accepted on April 15, 2012 C onsiderable evidence supports the relationship of physical activity with childhood obesity preven- tion and other health outcomes in children such as bone health, depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease risk factors, and diabetes. 1,2 Physical activ- ity has also been associated with greater academic achievement. 3-6 However, only 42% of children ages 6-11 years and 8% of adolescents ages 12-19 years meet the physical activity guidelines of 60 minutes of physical activity every day. 2,7 Children and adolescents spend half or more of their time on weekdays at school which makes schools an important setting to provide physical activity opportunities for students. 8-12 a Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health, (jacarlson@ucsd.edu), San Diego State University & University of California, San Diego, PO Box 3900, Fifth Avenue, Suite 310, San Diego, CA 92103. b Professor of Psychology, (jsallis@ucsd.edu), San Diego State University, PO Box 3900, Fifth Avenue, Suite 310, San Diego, CA 92103. c Senior Research Scientist, (jchriqui@uic.edu), University of Illinois at Chicago, PO Box 1747, W. Roosevelt Rd., M/C 275, Chicago, IL 60608. Sources of physical activity during school include active transportation to/from school (ie, walking or bicycling), active lesson plans, classroom activities, fitness breaks, before- and after-school programs (eg, sports), recess, and physical education (PE). 11,13,14 National organizations recommend 150 minutes/week of PE for elementary schools and 225 for secondary schools, and 30 minutes of physical activity during each school day. 14-16 However, time in PE does not necessarily translate to time in physical activity because children may be inactive during tasks such as attendance taking, elimination games, and waiting in line for their turn. 8 Thus, numerous organizations 150 • Journal of School Health • March 2013, Vol. 83, No. 3 •  2013, American School Health Association