Recent research from the University of Cambridge suggests that school uniform policies might hinder youth participation in physical activity, particularly among primary school-aged girls. Conducted using data from over a million five-to-17-year-olds globally, the study revealed that in countries where the majority of schools enforce uniform regulations, fewer young individuals meet the World Health Organization's recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity.
Notably, regardless of uniform policies, girls generally engage in less physical activity compared to boys across most nations. However, the gap in activity levels between girls and boys appears to be more pronounced among primary school students in countries where uniforms are mandatory in most schools.
The study was led by Dr Mairead Ryan, a researcher at the Faculty of Education and MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge.
"Schools often prefer to use uniforms for various reasons," Ryan said. "We are not trying to suggest a blanket ban on them but to present new evidence to support decision-making. School communities could consider the design and whether specific characteristics of a uniform might either encourage or restrict any opportunities for physical activity across the day.”
