Teenage recommendations to improve physical activity for their age group: a qualitative study

Abstract

BackgroundIt is recommended that young people should engage in 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA) a day for health benefits, but few teenagers actually meet this recommendation. Policy-makers play a vital role in designing physical activity initiatives, but they generally do this with little or no input from the intervention recipients. This study explores the recommendations made by teenagers to improve activity provision, uptake and sustainability of physical activity engagement for both themselves and their peers.MethodsThirteen focus groups were carried out in seven secondary schools in South Wales, United Kingdom. Participants (n = 78) were recruited from a larger mixed-method randomised control trial, which involved the implementation of a voucher scheme to promote physical activity in teenagers (aged 13–14). Thematic analysis was undertaken to identify key issues from the perspective of the teenage participants.ResultsSix key recommendations were identified following analysis of the focus groups: i) Lower/remove the cost of activities without sacrificing the quality, ii) Make physical activity opportunities more locally accessible, iii) Improve the standards of existing facilities, iv) Make activities more specific to teenagers v) Give teenagers a choice of activities/increase variety of activity and vi) Provide activities that teenage girls enjoy (e.g., fun, sociable and not competitive sport). Throughout the focus groups, the increased opportunity to participate in unstructured activity was a key recommendation echoed by both boys and girls in all themes.ConclusionThere is a disconnect between what is available and what teenagers want to do. Policy-makers and those involved in physical activity delivery (e.g., schools, local council and local activity providers) should include young people in designing interventions and facilities to ensure they are meeting the needs of this age group and providing the right opportunities for teenagers to be active. That is unstructured, local, low cost, fun, sociable opportunities and the right facilities to be active.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-018-5274-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Active Children Through Individual Vouchers Evaluation: A Mixed-Method RCT

“…4,10 The popularity of the trampoline park suggests that activities that place emphasis on fun are more appealing to teenagers. 4,11 This is not to say that trampoline parks are a generalizable provision, but rather the nontraditional and social aspects are elements to implement in the future.…”

“…9 Teenagers report the main barrier to meeting PA recommendations is accessibility to PA opportunities. 4,10,11 Accessibility is affected by cost, lack of local facilities, and motivation among teenagers, 10,12 especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. 13 Self-determination theory (SDT) 14 has emerged as a popular framework for examining motivation and PA 15 as it differentiates between controlled motivation (e.g., regulated by external pressure or guilt) and autonomous motivation (e.g., regulated by enjoyment).…”

“…Additional qualitative work identified a disconnect between what teenagers wanted to do and what was available. 11 This approach was supported by teachers and teenagers who encouraged the development of a larger trial.…”

Physically inactive adolescents’ experiences of engaging in physical activity

“…As evidence mounts worldwide that the promotion of physical activity is essential, there is a need for research concerning physical activity and motivational strategies and how physical activity could be promoted [9]. Health behaviour change involves progress through multiple stages of change according to the transtheoretical model [10] and research shows that there are several motivating factors for physical activity [11]. A key motivator for performing a physical activity is the experience that the activity is enjoyable and fun, regardless of the person's age or level of physical activity.…”

“…A key motivator for performing a physical activity is the experience that the activity is enjoyable and fun, regardless of the person's age or level of physical activity. Furthermore, the availability of unstructured, local and low-cost physical activity opportunities supports young people's physical activity [11]. However, when the routine of doing physical activity is investigated, barriers preventing young people from performing physical activities are revealed [12].…”