# Health-related quality of life findings from the Faroe Islands FIT FIRST FOR ALL school-based physical activity study

## TL;DR

A school-based physical activity program in the Faroe Islands improved children's physical well-being, especially in boys and younger students.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates the effectiveness of a school-based physical activity program in improving physical well-being among children.

## Key findings

- The program led to a 7% improvement in physical well-being for participants.
- Boys showed an 8% increase in physical well-being, and the youngest age group had a 7% increase.
- No significant changes were observed in other HRQOL dimensions.

## Abstract

This study evaluated the FIT FIRST FOR ALL program's effects on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among Faroese schoolchildren aged 7–16 years during a 10-week school-wide intervention.

A non-randomized controlled design included 360 pupils from an intervention (INT, n = 179) and a control school (CON, n = 181). The INT group participated in 3 weekly 40-minute physical activity sessions over 10 weeks. HRQOL was assessed using KIDSCREEN-52, and changes were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models.

A significant Time × Group interaction (P = 0.002) showed a 7% improvement in INT pupils' physical well-being, particularly among boys (8% increase, P < 0.001) and the youngest age group (7% increase, P = 0.006). No significant changes were observed in other HRQOL dimensions.

The FIT FIRST FOR ALL program improved physical well-being, particularly among boys and younger age groups, showcasing its potential to influence selected dimensions of HRQOL through structured school-based physical activity. These findings suggest that tailoring the program to specific age and gender groups could further strengthen its scalability and effectiveness across diverse school settings.