Health
Kids who wear school uniforms get less physical activity, study finds: 'There's a problem'
School uniforms can make parents’ lives easier. But can they negatively impact kids’ health?
A study published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science suggests that school uniform policies could serve as a barrier to children getting daily physical activity.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge in the U.K. analyzed the physical activity data from more than one million young people between 5 and 17 years old in 135 countries via an online survey.
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They found that in countries where school uniforms are more prevalent, fewer kids get an average of 60 minutes of daily physical activity, according to a press release from the university.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends an average of 60 minutes of at least moderate-intensity activity per day for youth between 5 and 17 years old.
A study from the University of Cambridge in the U.K. suggests that school uniform policies could prevent daily physical activity for kids. (iStock)
In countries where a majority of schools required uniforms, 16% of students met that threshold, the study found.
In countries where uniforms were not as prevalent, 19.5% of students got the recommended amount of activity.
“Social norms and expectations tend to influence what they feel they can do in these clothes.”
Female students were found to get less exercise than males, the study found.
“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,” said senior author Dr. Esther van Sluijs, MRC investigator, in the release.
“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.”
In countries where school uniforms are more prevalent, fewer kids get an average of 60 minutes of daily physical activity, a new study has found. (iStock)
While the study established an association, the researchers noted that “causation cannot be inferred” between the uniforms and the reduced activity.
Smaller studies in the past have suggested this effect.
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Based on the findings, the researchers are calling for further research into a possible link between uniforms and more sedentary behavior.
“We now need more information to build on these findings, considering factors like how long students wear their uniforms for after school, whether this varies depending on their background, and how broader gendered clothing norms may impact their activity,” said Dr. Mairead Ryan, a researcher at the Faculty of Education and Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, in the release.
Based on the findings, the researchers are calling for further research into a possible link between uniforms and more sedentary behavior. (iStock)
The goal is not to ban uniforms altogether, she said.
“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,” suggested Ryan.
“Working together for the betterment of children both physically and academically is the goal, at both home and school.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Cambridge researchers requesting additional comment.
Dr. Nadia Teymoorian, a family therapist from the Moment of Clarity Health Center in California, was not involved in the study but offered her reaction.
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School uniforms can offer some benefits for families, she noted — primarily a decrease in social bullying, reduced costs for parents and less peer pressure.
“What was not a focus [of the research] was the dynamics of the region of the study,” she told Fox News Digital.
“I have witnessed over the years that in areas where it is warmer [California or Florida], children participate in a number of physical activities. The limitations on physical participation could have much to do with weather, finances and activities provided by the school districts themselves.”
The World Health Organization recommends that kids get an average of 60 minutes of at least moderate-intensity activity per day. (iStock)
Many charter schools (independent, government-funded schools) may not have physical activity programs and may require the students’ families to incorporate activity, Teymoorian noted.
“Charter schools focus on academics more so than physical activity,” she said.
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The expert suggested that families should make an effort to participate in physical activities that are documented to support better health.
“I would like to see a study on the concept of incorporating school and home as a team effort on better health and wellness,” she said.
“Regular physical activity can help children and adolescents on many levels, including building strong bones and muscles, maintaining a healthy weight, and reducing the risk of many health conditions, such as heart disease and depression,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“Working together for the betterment of children both physically and academically is the goal, both at home and at school.”
“Helping your child to find the right activity for their physical needs, personality and preferences at an early age is key to making exercise an enjoyable, lifelong habit.”
Dr. Marianna Nicoletta Gentile, a pediatric endocrinologist at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, was also not involved in the research, but emphasized the importance of regular exercise for youth.
“Regular physical activity can help children and adolescents on many levels, including building strong bones and muscles, maintaining a healthy weight and reducing the risk of many health conditions, such as heart disease and depression,” she told Fox News Digital.
“Helping your child to find the right activity for their physical needs, personality and preferences at an early age is key to making exercise an enjoyable, lifelong habit,” Gentile added.
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Living near heavy traffic could negatively impact your heart health.
A European study, published in the journal Environmental Research, found that exposure to nighttime road traffic noise is linked to changes in the blood, leading to worsened cholesterol and cardiovascular risks.
The researchers considered data from the U.K. Biobank, Rotterdam Study, and Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, including more than 272,000 adults over the age of 30, according to a press release.
Nighttime road noise exposure was estimated at all participants’ homes based on national noise maps. Researchers also took blood samples to measure the participants’ metabolic biomarkers for disease, then mapped the link between nightly noise levels and existence of biomarkers.
Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers. (iStock)
The study found that people exposed to louder noise at night — especially sounds above 55 decibels — showed changes in 48 different substances in their blood. Twenty of these associations “remained robust” throughout all cohorts.
Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers, especially LDL “bad” cholesterol, IDL (intermediate-density lipoprotein) and unsaturated fatty acids.
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As noise levels increased, starting at around 50 decibels, cholesterol markers rose steadily, the release stated.
The authors concluded that this study “provides evidence that nighttime road traffic noise exposure from 50 dB upward is associated with alterations in blood cholesterol and lipid profiles in adults.”
Researchers noted a link between traffic noise and cardiometabolic disease. (iStock)
Study co-author Yiyan He, doctoral researcher at the University of Oulu in Finland, noted that in this type of research, small effect sizes are expected, and environmental exposures such as traffic noise are “typically modest.”
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“Despite this, we observed statistically robust and consistent associations across many biomarkers, especially those related to LDL and IDL lipoproteins,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“We also identified a clear exposure-response pattern starting at around 50 dB, suggesting that metabolic changes become more evident as noise levels increase.”
This aligns with public health guidance, as the World Health Organization recommends lower nighttime noise limits at around 40 to 45 dB, Yiyan He added.
“This finding may clarify the association between traffic noise and cardiometabolic diseases,” the researchers wrote. (iStock)
“The 55 dB level is often used as an interim benchmark associated with substantial noise annoyance and sleep disturbance,” she said. “In our study, we observed associations not only at 55 dB, but also indications of effects emerging at around 50 dB.”
The strength and consistency of the cholesterol-related associations were surprising, as these changes are usually “subtle.”
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“Instead, we found consistent associations across multiple large European cohorts, which strengthens confidence that the findings may reflect real biological patterns,” Yiyan He went on. “We were also interested to see that effects were minimal below ~50 dB, suggesting a possible threshold-like pattern.”
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The researcher noted that these findings were consistent across genders, education levels and obesity status.
The study was restricted to White Europeans, which posed a limitation. There was also a lack of information on the fasting status in the UK Biobank.
Changes in cholesterol levels were more severe than researchers expected. (iStock)
“Fasting can influence levels of certain metabolites, particularly fatty acids,” Yiyan He said. “However, based on UK Biobank documentation, fewer than 10% of participants were fasting for at least eight hours, and our main findings focused on cholesterol-related biomarkers, which are generally less sensitive to short-term fasting.”
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The researchers also lacked information on bedroom location, indoor noise exposure and time spent at home.
“These factors may introduce non-differential exposure misclassification,” Yiyan He said. “Additionally, noise exposure estimates were based on participants’ temporary residential addresses at the time of blood sampling, without considering the duration of residence.”
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“Many of these limitations would tend to bias results toward the null, so the consistent associations we observed remain noteworthy.”
Experts recommend taking measures to limit traffic noise at night. (iStock)
Based on this latest research, Yiyan He noted that nighttime noise is a “health-relevant exposure,” not just “an annoyance.”
“Our findings suggest that nighttime traffic noise may subtly but consistently affect metabolic health,” she said. “While the changes in cholesterol and lipid levels for any one individual are small, traffic noise affects a very large number of people, which means the potential public health impact could be substantial.”
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The researcher recommends taking measures like improving sound insulation, using noise-reducing strategies and placing bedrooms on the quieter side of the home when possible.
“Because sleep is a key pathway linking noise to health, protecting the nighttime sleep environment is especially important,” she added.
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