The impact of the Daily Mile on Primary School Children

Abstract

The Daily Mile is a physical activity programme through which primary-aged children run or walk for 15 minutes every day, at a self-selected pace. First developed at St Ninians Primary, Stirling, in 2012, the initiative has grown in popularity nationally and internationally, initially driven by anecdotally reported benefits of participation. The Scottish Government’s Programme for Scotland 2017-18, A Nation with Ambition, sets out plans for Scotland to become the world’s first ‘Daily Mile nation’. In August 2017, Ministers wrote to schools, nurseries, colleges and universities urging them to take up the challenge. The concept is easily adaptable in a nation facing significant public health challenges. As outlined in the Scottish Government’s policy paper Public Health Priorities for Scotland (2018), two thirds of adults in Scotland are overweight, with the total economic cost of obesity to Scotland estimated to be as much as £4.6 billion. The paper states that action on Scotland’s public health priorities will be evidence-led, applying public health expertise, data and intelligence, developing new solutions to drive a healthier nation. This briefing - drawing on three studies led by University of Stirling researchers - has the potential to inform the rollout of the Daily Mile in Scotland, including a widening of the initiative beyond the education sector.