1. How to increase physical activity in Swedish schools and pre-schools The body needs to be active to remain healthy Inactivity causes health problems such as higher levels of obesity and cardiovascular system illnesses 25% of the 10years old have overweight in one study (Ekblom,2003) 8,5 % of the girls and 16% of the boys in grade 9 might have overweight.(NU 2003)

2. Pupils health have been of interest since Ling founded Gymnastiska Centralinstitutet -1800 Military discourse. Physical education important subject -1900-1940 hygiene discourse.Need for physical and spiritual control -1950 a medical discourse with school nurses and school doctors. -1970. Physiological discourse. -1980 locomotor system discourse 2000 obesity discourse

3. Lack of health is costly… Lack of physical activity costs the Swedish society 6 miljard :-/year. (Frisam, 060925) 75% of the adults in Swedens are too inactive 25% of them are so inactive that they risc to die too early(Ekblom, 1998)

4. An inactive lifestyle is more stable over time than an active lifestyle A longitudinal study showed that29% of the girls that was inactive att 15 remained inactive at the age of 40 19% of the boys showed the same pattern Those who were active at the age of 15 showed a more diverse lifestyle at the age of 40. Some were active others were not (Engström,1989).

5. The participation in Physical Education in schools is lower in high school than in compulsary school 7% of the pupils in grade 6 say that they very seldom participate in Physical Education in school. 14% of the pupils in high school (gymnasium) say that they very seldom participate in Physical Education in school. This indicates that pre-school is the right arena to change the pattern of inactivity (Skolverket,2003)

6. Swedish pupils are either very active or very inactive And the gap between them is increasing Groups that are marginalised in society are less interested in physical activity (Engström,1999)

7. Actions taken by the state 1994..and health was added to the name of the subject Physical Education. Health education is also a responsibility for every teacher 2002 the activity paragraph was added to the national curriculum 2003 National Center for Physical Activity was founded 2006…and nutrition was added to the problems the center should work with

8. The activity paragraph 2002 In the mandatory schools curriculum …schools shall offer all pupils the opportunity to engage in daily physical activities In the high school curriculum …schools shall strive to offer all pupils the opportunity to engage in daily physical activities

9. To be successful in changing lifestyle patterns you have to start early… Are some children very physically active allready in pre-school? Are some children very physically inactive allready ín pre-school? How does the pre-school teachers meet this different locomotor patterns?

10. What instrument can be useful when you want to measure pre-school childrens physical activity? An instrument that can be useful with small children -has to be relatively cheap -and easy to use -shall not disturb the child -must register the childs physical activity in a reliable way

11. A pilot study 6 children in the age of 4-6 years was asked to wear the accelerometers for five days. Two children, twins, refused from the beginning to wear them 3 children 18 months, 3 and 4 years old used the accelerometer for 3-5 days

12. Results -Indicates that there are differences in movement patterns that is not related to age -shows that you have to plan very carefully when you work with small children -the device is not reliable. You have to be supplemented with other methods as observations or video.

13. The Swedish population have to change lifestyle -In Sweden almost all children go to pre-school -you can influence the whole family -you can make the child accustomed to movement Pre-school is the right place to start to introduce new activity habits

14. Thank you for your attention Inger Karlefors Luleå university of technology Sweden Inger.Karlefors@ltu.se