A wearable-supported physical education intervention produced a significant increase in in-class MVPA among underserved adolescents (F(1, 47) = 14.60, p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.24), though no significant improvements in psychosocial beliefs were observed in either group.
The wearable-supported PE intervention produced a significant between-group difference in change in in-class MVPA, favoring the intervention group.
No significant improvements in psychosocial beliefs were observed in either the intervention or control group.
The study met pre-specified feasibility benchmarks for recruitment, retention, data completeness, and technology adherence.
The study design assigned four PE classes to either a two-week wearable-supported PE intervention or usual PE as the control condition.
The authors conclude that digital health tools, including fitness wearables, may increase in-class engagement in MVPA among underserved adolescents when aligned with evidence-based pedagogical strategies and behavior change techniques.
This research suggests that giving middle school students at a low-income school fitness trackers to use during physical education class can meaningfully increase the amount of time they spend in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during class. In a two-week study comparing classes that used wearable devices with classes that had regular PE, students with the wearables showed significantly greater gains in active time, with a large effect size. The study also confirmed that this type of program is practically feasible to run in a real school setting, meeting pre-set goals for recruiting students, keeping them in the study, and getting them to actually use the technology. However, the wearables did not appear to change students' psychological attitudes or beliefs about physical activity — such as their confidence or motivation — in just two weeks. This suggests that while the devices may prompt more movement in the short term through real-time feedback and self-monitoring, deeper shifts in how young people think and feel about being active may require longer or more intensive programs. This research matters because youth from low-income backgrounds are less likely to meet recommended physical activity guidelines, and schools are an important setting for reaching them. The findings suggest that relatively simple, technology-based additions to existing PE classes could help address this gap. Still, the authors note that this was a small, short-term pilot study, and larger studies are needed before strong conclusions can be drawn.
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Upload Your LabsRyu S, Kringle E, Gao Z. (2026). Wearable-Supported Physical Education for Physical Activity and Psychosocial Beliefs in Underserved Adolescents.. The Journal of school health. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.70219