17 Sep Results from the Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) 2025 report card on physical activity for children and youth

Posted at 10:38h in Publications, Research by
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Taiwan’s latest Report Card highlights a persistent gap between strong institutional support for physical activity and the movement behaviours of children and adolescents. A new paper published by C.-K. Chang & C.-L. Wu in the Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness presents the 2025 Taiwan Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, the third national assessment using the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (AHKGA) Global Matrix framework.

Drawing on national survey data and government statistics published between 2022 and 2025, the study assessed 10 core Global Matrix indicators and one additional indicator, Body Mass Index (BMI), among children and adolescents aged 6-18 years.

Key findings included:

  • Overall Physical Activity received a grade of F, continuing the F grades reported in both 2018 and 2022.
  • School (A+) and Government Strategies and Investments (A–) received high grades, reflecting strong institutional and policy support for physical activity.
  • Community and the Built Environment received a B+, while Organized Sport improved to a C–.
  • Sedentary Behaviour received a D–, highlighting ongoing challenges related to sedentary time and academic workload.
  • Four indicators received incomplete (INC) grades due to insufficient nationally representative data: Active Play, Active Transportation, Physical Fitness, and Family and Peers.

The findings reveal a persistent disconnect between strong government and school-level support and the behavioural reality of Taiwanese youth. The authors highlight intensive academic schedules and sedentary study habits as important barriers and call for strategies that better translate institutional support into active lifestyles.

Reference

Chang C-K & Wu C-L. Results from the Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) 2025 report card on physical activity for children and youth. Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness. 2026. 10.1016/j.jesf.2026.200491