Physical activity of children and adolescents with disabilities in Poland - First Para Report Card

There is a lack of understanding regarding physical activity (PA) in Polish children and adolescents with disabilities. This study evaluated the Polish Para Report Card on PA for these groups. Systematic literature searches were conducted from 2014 to 2022 on PubMed, EBSCO, and Google Scholar, supplemented with outreach to various governmental institutions for additional reports and data. Key words associated with the Global Matrix methodology guided the search, aimed at evaluating ten distinct indicators: Overall PA, Organized Sport and PA, Active Play, Active Transportation, Sedentary Behavior, Family and Peers, School, Community and Environment, Government. Grades were assigned to three of ten indicators. The Overall PA, Sedentary Behavior, and Government indicators each received a D-grade. The study reveals the need for an extensive system to monitor PA among Polish children and adolescents with disabilities, and the development of effective strategies to enhance PA in this group. Children with disabilities in Poland are under-researched in the area of PA compared to their able-bodied counterparts.