Participation in Organized Sports and Self-Organized Physical Activity: Associations with Developmental Factors

Abstract

Engagement in organized sports is associated with developmental factors, such as, healthy growth, cognitive abilities, psychological well-being and lower substance use. Research also suggest that the spontaneous free play that characterises self-organized physical activity (PA) provides young people with opportunities to learn social skills, such as self-regulation and conflict-resolution skills. We assessed associations between participation in the two activity types and several demographics along with developmental factors (e.g., body mass index (BMI)). Data was from a representative sample of 2060 students attending 38 schools in Norway (mean age (Mage) = 15.29, standard deviation (SD) = 1.51; 52% females). Results indicated that while engagement in organized sports was more related to developmental factors, relative to self-organized PA, engaging concurrently in both activities for at least an hour a week was more developmentally beneficial than engaging only in one for the same amount of time. Thus, PA programmes for students will enhance their effectiveness if they focus on structured activities but also self-organized activities where students can coordinate themselves.

Active Travel of Czech and Polish Adolescents in Relation to Their Well-Being: Support for Physical Activity and Health

“…Given that trends in adolescents' participation in organized PA are inconsistent [1] and tendencies of participation in organized PA with age are not fully clear either, it is crucial that the compliance with ATR does not act as a substitute for compliance with VPA recommendations. Our finding that higher WB is associated with the participation of adolescents in organized PA is serious and corresponds with other research [50]. It is apparent that the factor of organized PA, in combination with higher WB, plays a more important role in meeting the PA recommendations in Central European settings than other sociodemographic factors we monitored-e.g., country, size of the city, type of house, and the ownership of a dog or car.…”

Physical Activity, Body Mass, and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Preschool Children: A Cross-Sectional Analysis in the Split-Dalmatia County (Croatia)

“…The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a minimum of 60 min of “moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA per day” for preschool children, at least 3 times per week [6]. However, it is evident that children are currently insufficiently active and do not achieve PA recommendations [7]. As a result, an increasing number of children are obese and overweight.…”

Through Sport to Innovation: Sustainable Socio-Economic Development in European Countries

“…They seek greater flexibility and a greater sense of autonomy. Research shows that self-organised SA can also have positive psychological and social effects (among others, it can promote general life skills and pro-social behaviour) [61]. For example, lifestyle sports can offer young people the opportunity to learn social skills such as: independence, self-control, cooperation, problem solving [62].…”