Correlates of physical activity in young people: a narrative review of reviews. Implications for physical education based on a socio-ecological approach

School and physical education (PE) play an important role in promoting youth physical activity (PA). Although there is extensive evidence about the correlates of PA in youth, few studies summarize these findings and critically connect them to PE based on a socio-ecological approach. The purpose of this article was to perform a narrative review of systematic reviews and of systematic reviews of reviews about the correlates of PA for children and adolescents, and to identify practical implications to PE using a socio-ecological model as a framework. Reviews were identified from searches in Pubmed, PsycINFO, Sportdiscus, ERIC, Web of science databases from 2000 through 2016. Based on established criteria, 20 reviews and four reviews of reviews were analysed. Results were presented in tables and through a narrative synthesis. The main correlates of PA for children and adolescents were: sex (male), age (inverse association), self-efficacy, previous PA, time spent outside (children), parental support, and access to facilities/programs of PA. The implications for PE were critically analyzed around five emerging themes: (1) active PE, (2) learning focused PE and PA for life, (3) Motivational climate in PE and students’ psychosocial profiles, (4) Family and friends, and (5) comprehensive school PA promotion. Efforts to increase school and PE effectiveness by promoting active lifestyles require a comprehensive approach, and should be based on the design of PE and PA programs and the implementation of strategies that build on the main multilevel correlates of PA.