Opening school playgrounds for after-school use can help improve fitness
American Heart Association says kids need to be physically active
School districts can increase physical activity among children and young adults by opening playgrounds, gyms and fields to the community outside of school hours, especially in low-income areas, according to an American Heart Association (AHA) policy statement published in the American Journal of Public Health.
The statement recommends that school districts enter “shared use” agreements with community organizations to allow supervised activities such as sports leagues and unsupervised playing on school grounds, and notes that low-income communities have less access to recreational spaces and community recreation centers.