Assessment of physical activity levels, fitness and perceived barriers to physical activity practice in adolescents: cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Significant differences in most results suggest a correlation between being overweight or obese and having a worse PC. The variables gender (being a girl) and body mass index (overweight or obese) showed a direct correlation to perceive significantly greater barriers to PA practice. What is known: • Epidemiological studies indicate that there is a high prevalence of overweight and obesity linked to an insufficient amount of physical activity (PA) practice in children and adolescents, which is accompanied higher rates of abandonment of the common PA practice as they grow up. • Perceived barriers to regular PA practice had increased in the adolescent population, accompanied with lower levels of PA practice. What is new: • This study shows for the first time the correlation between physical condition, PA levels, and perceived barriers to regular PA, considering overweight and gender. • There is a correlation between being overweight or obese and having a worse physical condition. The variables gender (being a girl) and body mass index (overweight or obese) showed a direct correlation to perceive significantly greater barriers to PA practice.