This study examined the prevalence of attendance in Physical Education (PE) classes and associated factors among high school students. A cross-sectional study performed with 2,874 public and private high school students (57.9% girls, mean age of 16.45 years; SD = 1.22) from João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.

Attendance in PE classes was measured by the question:

‘How many PE classes do you attend during a normal week? The factors measured were: attitude, self-efficacy, risks and benefits related to physical activity (PA), perceived health, PA level, sedentary behavior and nutritional status. Binary logistic regression was used. It was observed that 41.9% attended two or more PE classes per week, with higher prevalence rates in public school students than private school counterparts (56.6% vs. 6.6%; p < 0.001). Higher attendance in PE classes was observed in male and younger students from both school systems. It was also observed in students who did not work, were members of the highest economic class and whose parents had higher schooling levels in public schools, and from 1st and 2nd grades of high school education in private institutions. Attending two or more PE classes per week is positively associated with a more favorable attitude to engaging in PA as well as its level, in both school systems, and with positive health perception among public students. In conclusion, attendance in PE classes was low, particularly in private schools. Attending two or more PE classes per week was associated with positive aspects of PA and health in the students under study