The Lithuanian Physical Activity Report Card for Children and Youth 2022

Abstract

In 2014, the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (AHKGA) was established with the aim of advancing physical activity among children and youth from around the word. One of the initiatives of this network of researchers, health professionals, and stakeholders is to promote the production of national Physical Activity Report Cards for Children and Youth. The purpose of the Report Card is to advance knowledge on the current “state of the nation” regarding physical activity levels of children and youth, identify gaps in current knowledge (research), and act as an advocacy tool to influence researchers and stakeholders who are able to positively influence physical activity opportunities for children and youth.In April 2017, the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance invited interested countries to participate in and register for the Global Matrix 3.0 through an open call that was distributed via established networks. Lithuania joined a total of 49 countries that participated and graded the Global Matrix 10 common indicators. That was the beginning of the development of the Lithuanian Physical Activity Report Card for Children and Youth. In 2019, AHKGA circulated a call to participate in the Global Matrix 4.0. Between 2020 and 2022, 60 countries (including Lithuania) from six different continents (Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and Latin America) registered and 57 completed the development their National Report Card. This is the second Lithuanian Report Card on physical activity for children and youth; the first was published in 2018.The development of the Lithuanian Report Card was initiated and coordinated by the Department of Physical and Social Education, Lithuanian Sports University, in cooperation with the following partners: Vilnius University; Lithuanian National Olympic Committee; Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania.