About Physical Literacy
Physical literacy is our relationship with movement and physical activity throughout life. People who have a positive relationship with movement and physical activity are more likely to be physically active, improving health, well-being and quality of life. In order to get more children, young people and adults to be actively involved in society, understanding movement is a crucial skill.
Why is movement so important?
Our body is made to be in motion. Physical activity strengthens bones, builds muscles, reduces the risk of disease and increases our mental well-being. We know that people need to move to feel good, but despite this, we move less than ever before.
Daily life today does not require the same amount of movement as in the past: everyday life has become increasingly sedentary for young and old alike. This means that many people never develop basic physical skills that we used to take for granted, such as running, jumping, climbing or throwing a ball. Without these skills, opportunities for physical activity are limited. The willingness to participate in and try new types of movement is reduced.
The health effects are both costly and disastrous, with sedentary lifestyles leading to a host of health problems and diseases. The graph below shows the link between lack of movement and ill health as proven by extensive research.
Both adults and children need to be physically active every day. The Public Health Agency of Sweden recommends at least one hour of physical activity per day for children and at least 150 minutes per week for adults. In reality, few reach the recommendations, as the proportion of people who move one hour per day is:
... According to a report from the Karolinska Institute.
If we want to reverse this trend, we need to think differently than we have done so far. It is not enough for people to know the dangers of sitting still. To get moving, they need to feel an inner drive: their own will to move. This is where physical literacy comes in.
At Främjafys you can find more research on physical activity, its effects and how active we are today.
What is physical literacy?
Physical literacy is a translation of the English Physical literacy, a relatively new but internationally accepted concept that was first established in Canada. It is a holistic concept for understanding people's ability, prerequisites and willingness to be physically active in different environments and contexts throughout life.
The rotary engine
Physical literacy is built up by four factors that form a self-reinforcing loop. We can call it the engine of movement. Each of the factors is important and influences each other.
The locomotor system is present in all humans and spins more or less quickly. When a person has positive experiences of movement, the motor is stimulated and spins faster.
Negative experiences slow down the engine and reduce the willingness to participate in physical activity. Physical literacy is about getting the motor running in the individual, who then wants to and can participate in different contexts of movement.
Physical literacy is the ability to perform physical bodily movements required to complete everyday tasks and participate in various physical activities. Examples include running, climbing, throwing a ball, jumping, crawling or balancing: the body's own ABCs.
Self-confidence is the belief in one's own ability to cope with different challenges and tasks. It is important for us to dare to try new activities and be ourselves. Self-confidence grows when we learn new things and notice that we are making progress and developing.
Motivation is the inner drive: wanting to move because it is fun and makes us feel good. Motivation is enhanced when practitioners feel competent, empowered and connected.
Active participation. All physical activities and contexts make demands on those who participate. We can facilitate new participants by focusing on developing physical literacy.
... And so the engine turns. Participation in fun activities builds an individual's movement competence, which boosts self-confidence, which in turn provides motivation to remain physically active. The more movements you master, the more fun it is to move. This in turn increases creativity and the desire to explore new forms of movement.
How do we create a mobile society?
No single organization can achieve a society that encourages movement and participation on its own: work needs to be done across sectors and at all levels of society.
Make a Move strives for more actors to realize the importance of physical literacy and contribute to a movement-rich society in a variety of different arenas, see the model below.
Examples include preschools and schools that encourage children and young people to play and develop their movement skills. Workplaces that encourage less sedentary behavior and more movement during the working day. Health and social care services that prescribe and make available health-enhancing physical activity throughout people's lives. And equal opportunities for citizens to participate in sport and leisure activities.
Model for promoting physicalpromoting physical activity, revision of ISPAH Eight Investments that work for physical activity, 2020.
What do we gain?
Increased physical activity and better health are the most obvious results of an active society. But more benefits follow in many different areas.
Better school results
Physical activity leads to better learning and deeper concentration. Studies among children have shown that as little as four minutes of physical activity can improve children's attention, problem-solving skills, stress tolerance and study focus.
Increased mental well-being
Physical activity has a major impact on our mental health, as movement releases neurotransmitters in the body that make us feel good. For example, endorphins make us feel happy, while dopamine and serotonin counteract depression and reduce pain.
Gender equality
As mentioned above, only half as many girls as boys get enough physical activity according to WHO recommendations. Girls' lower levels of activity contribute to gender inequality in health and the other consequences we list here. Physical literacy for all is thus also a gateway to a more equal society.
Equality of opportunity
The same difference found between girls and boys applies between different social strata. Studies show that inequalities persist throughout life, with differences in ill health and life expectancy between groups with different socio-economic circumstances not only persisting but increasing over time.
Participation and sustainability
People's well-being is a prerequisite for what we call social sustainability, that is, the ability to maintain a society in which all people can flourish and participate in meaningful ways. People who are healthy have the energy, willingness and ability to participate in the development of a sustainable society. The physical activity of the individual is therefore a matter for society.
Explore more about physical literacy in the videos below.
One of the world's leading experts on physical literacy, Dean Kriellaars, explains physical literacy in 1.5 minutes.
This film from Sport Wales highlights the importance of physical literacy for children's physical, cognitive and social development.