"11 for Health" in Pakistan - Effects on Physical Fitness, Health Knowledge and Well-being of 8-14-year-old Schoolchildren

In developing countries like Pakistan, limited funding, infrastructure, and policy support pose challenges for promoting structured physical activity among school-aged children. These gaps result in low physical activity levels, with consequences extending beyond individual health to national healthcare systems and societal well-being. Despite growing interest in improving physical education in Pakistan, current initiatives remain fragmented and under-researched. Introducing a structured, football-based physical and health education model such as "11 for Health" into this context offers an opportunity to test a scalable and contextually relevant approach. The "11 for Health" programme is designed to deliver health education through physical activity using football drills and small-sided games. The intervention comprises 90 minutes of football-related activities per week, integrated with the delivery of ten health messages addressing communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Each health message is thematically linked to a specific football skill (Fuller et al. 2017). Since its in inception in South Africa in 2009, the "11 for Health" programme has been implemented across multiple regions, including Africa, South America, Oceania, Europe, and Southeast Asia, and a growing body of literature has analysed its effects on physical fitness, health knowledge, well-being, and cognitive outcomes. Its documented effectiveness in a range of international settings suggests potential for positive impact in Pakistan as well. This study examined the "11 for Health" programme within the public school system and evaluated its effects on multiple aspects of health and well-being. These findings could help determine the programme's adaptability, thereby contributing critical insights into sustainable strategies for promoting health and physical fitness among Pakistani schoolchildren.