Correlates of physical activity in adolescence: a study from a developing country

Abstract

BackgroundPhysical activity is important for adolescent health. The current study aimed to explore factors that predict physical activity among adolescents.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study of physical activity among a sample of adolescents in Tabriz, Iran. Information on physical activity was collected using a modified version of the Adolescent Physical Activity and Recall Questionnaire (APARQ). In addition, a self-administrated questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic characteristics, perceived family support, and self-efficacy. Both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the association between physical activity and independent variables including gender and psychosocial predictors.ResultsIn all, 402 students were studied. The mean age of adolescents was 12.93 (SD=0.49) years; 51.5% were female. The mean time of moderate and vigorous physical activity for all adolescents was 44.64 (SD=23.24) Metabolic Equivalent (MET) min per day. This figure for female adolescents was 38.77 (SD=19.94) MET min per day and for males it was 50.87 (SD=24.88) (P<0.001). The results obtained from multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that female gender (OR=2.59, 95% CI=1.46–4.57, P=0.001) and poor family support (OR=1.10, 95% CI=1.03–1.20, P=0.038) were the most significant contributing factors to low level physical activity in adolescents. Other variables studied did not show any significant results.ConclusionThe findings from the current study indicated that female adolescents were at risk of lower level of physical activity. In addition, it was found that the lack of family support represented an increased risk for low-level physical activity. It seems that family support should be an integrated part of any health education/promotion programs for improving physical activity among young adolescents in general and for female adolescents in particular.

Análise da prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade e do nível de atividade física em crianças e adolescentes de uma cidade do sudoeste de São Paulo

“…Shokrvash et al 30 described that evaluated adolescents did not show appropriated time to physical activity. However, there was a significant difference related to physical activity between sex, where girls presented higher risk of low level of physical activity.…”

Multifactorial Identification of physical activity predictors in schoolchildren according to a socio-ecological model using multifactorial analysis

“…Resultados similares fueron hallados en otros estudios desarrollando en escolares y adolescentes (AbarcaSos, Zaragoza, Generelo, & Julián, 2010;Al-Hazzaa, Abahussain, Al-Sobayel, Qahwaji, & Musaiger, 2011;Beets, Vogel, Forlaw, Pitetti, & Cardinal, 2006;Ortlieb et al, 2013;Shokrvash et al, 2013). Las diferencias de práctica deportiva entre el género masculino y el femenino se han ido reduciendo en los últimos tiempos, no obstante aún existe una creencia de menor predis- c i e n c i a posición hacia la práctica deportiva por parte de las mujeres, debido a diferencias biológicas, psicológicas, sociológicas y culturales (García-Lanzuela, MatuteBravo, Tifner, Gallizo-Llorens, & Gil-Lacruz, 2007).…”

Abdominal obesity: prevalence, sociodemographic- and lifestyle-associated factors in adolescents

“…One in four teens with bad eating habits presented abdominal obesity, with 40-50% higher risk when compared to adolescents who had high food safety 22 . Thus, the increase in caloric intake volume, coupled with the sharp decline in daily physical activity levels among teens [23][24][25] , and even further among overweight subjects 26 , corresponded to important determinants for increasing adiposity and body weight. However, the association between abdominal obesity and inadequate dietary habits has not yet been fully verified in the literature 27 .…”