Promoting Healthy Lifestyle and Well-Being in Adolescents through Outdoor Physical Activity

Abstract

Health-enhancing physical activities (PA) performed outdoors could markedly contribute to the adoption of a healthy lifestyle in adolescence. The differences between PA preferences and actual opportunities for these PA are an issue that has received frequent attention. To date, the extent to which these differences are reflected in adolescents meeting PA recommendations and their well-being has not been explored. In total, 10,086 respondents took part in an on-line research project regarding PA preferences. Of them, 2446 also completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (Long Form) and the World Health Organization (WHO) W-5 questionnaire to assess well-being. Finally, 1278 of these respondents were involved in objective PA monitoring using pedometers. The study aimed to explore the prevalence and trends regarding outdoor PA. Moreover, we assessed whether the agreement between preferred PA and PA actually undertaken was associated with higher odds for meeting PA recommendations and achieving a higher level of well-being. Of a selection of outdoor activities, Czech and Polish boys preferred cycling, swimming, and downhill skiing, while girls preferred swimming activities, skating, and cycling. The agreement between preferred and PA actually undertaken was associated with higher odds for meeting the weekly PA recommendations and higher levels of well-being both in boys and girls. Evaluation of outdoor PA preferences and taking these preferred activities into account when forming conditions for them was important in the efficient promotion of the physical and mental health of adolescents.

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

“…Its use for adolescents aged 15-17 significantly correlated for time spent in active travel, for moderate and vigorous activities as well as for total physical activity [39,40]. Both versions were subject to the required translation procedure according to the 'EORTC (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer) Quality of Life Group' [41] and empirically verified in international comparative studies [26,42]. Among the several types of PA measured, the IPAQ-LF includes transport PA (cycling and walking activities for at least 10 minutes at a time to go from place to place).…”

Academic Stress and Physical Activity in Adolescents

“…In this study, we present results concerning moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) intensity (60-100% HRmax, ≥3 METs). e accelerometer data were processed consistent with previously published methods [38][39][40][41].…”

Composition of weekly physical activity in adolescents by level of physical activity

“…Given recent trends in adolescents' PA, one can infer that the most widespread recommendations of 10,000 steps/day [47,48], 10,000-11,700 steps/day [34], 12,000 steps/day [49,50,51], the 11,000 steps/day for both boys and girls promoted by our team [41,52,53], or 13,000-16,000 steps/day focused on weight-reduction behaviours [54], are not accepted well by adolescents with lower levels of PA. In Canada, Colley et al [50] suggested revising the recommendation from 13,500 to 12,000 steps/day among 6-19-years-old children and adolescents, which they found more appropriate benchmark for assessing the guideline of 60 min of daily moderate-to-vigorous PA.…”