The Relationship Between High-Quality Physical Education, Physical Literacy, and Physical Activity Participation: A Retrospective Study From U.S. College Students

Physical education (PE) participation at school age is suggested to increase physical activity levels in adulthood. However, there is a limited understanding of the underlying mechanism in this relationship between PE and physical activity (PA). This study aimed to examine how the quality of PE in high school is associated with future physical activity engagement in young adulthood and whether physical literacy is a mediator in this relationship. A group of 280 college students (62.1% women; M_age = 20.09, SD = 2.04) were recruited from 11 universities in the United States. The students filled out an online survey measuring the quality of PE in high school, leisure-time physical activity, and physical literacy. A path analysis revealed a good fit of the mediation model with sex as a covariate (χ²/df = 1.73, <i>p</i> = .02; CFI = 0.99; IFI = 0.99; TLI = 0.98; RMSEA = 0.05, 90% CI [0.02, 0.08]). Quality of PE has a significant direct association (β = 0.12) with physical activity and an indirect association with physical activity through physical literacy (β = 0.05). The findings illustrate that high-quality high school PE is associated with physical activity directly and indirectly through physical literacy. It is critical to provide high-quality high school PE by addressing the environment, curriculum, instruction, and assessment to develop physical literacy and physical activity participation. Improving physical literacy through high-quality PE and other settings (e.g., school sports and community clubs) is a viable way to promote PA participation.