Brazil Advances Health and Physical Activity Policies in Schools with National and Goiás State Initiatives

Brazil is making strides in enhancing health promotion and physical activity in schools with recent legislative progress at both the national and state levels. The Education Commission of the Chamber of Deputies approved a project on July 11, 2026, to establish the National Health Policy in Schools. This project legally codifies the existing School Health Program (PSE), which has been operational since 2007, aiming to promote health, prevent diseases, and foster community involvement within educational settings.

Relator Nely Aquino (Pode-MG) spearheaded the project by removing provisions for a new Preventive Medicine Program, instead emphasizing the strengthening of current policies. Aquino highlighted, "The School Health Program already fulfills almost all the objectives of the project in practice. Ensuring its continuity within a legally established National Health Policy in Schools is timely." The policy encourages collaborations between public health and education networks, promotes a culture of peace and human rights, and includes ongoing actions such as vaccination updates, healthy eating promotion, substance abuse prevention, and physical activity encouragement. However, adopting the policy remains optional for states, municipalities, and the Federal District, with priority actions to be defined through regulations and intergovernmental agreements based on scientific evidence and local needs.

At the state level, Goiás enacted Law No. 24,424 on July 6, 2026, officially creating the State Policy for the Encouragement of Sports Practice in Schools. Introduced by deputy Delegado Eduardo Prado (PL), this law aims to integrate sports with youth health, emphasizing the comprehensive physical, mental, and social development of students through regular physical and sporting activities. The policy promotes equal and inclusive access to sports, requiring adequate school infrastructure and integration of physical education with other disciplines. Prado stressed the importance of this initiative given rising sedentary lifestyles and health issues among children and adolescents, noting that "it is essential that schools promote an active and healthy lifestyle." The Goiás State Executive is tasked with establishing monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for this policy, which is already in force.

Together, these policies reflect Brazil's commitment to fostering healthier school environments by embedding health promotion and sports practice into educational frameworks, addressing both national and local needs to improve youth well-being and engagement in physical activity.