Association Between Mastery Of Multiple Sports And Physical Fitness Among Adolescents In Shanghai

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate the mastery of multiple sports (e.g., football, swimming, dance) among adolescents in Shanghai and explore its association with physical fitness. METHODS: The study data were obtained from the 2019 Physical Activity and Fitness Monitoring in Shanghai Children and Adolescents, a cross-sectional survey covering 16 districts in Shanghai, China. Physical fitness was assessed according to the 2014 revised Chinese National Student Physical Fitness Standard (CNSPFS); the overall physical fitness performance was categorized as “excellent,” “good,” “pass,” or “no pass” (Zhu et al. 2017). Participants completed a survey including demographics, mastery of multiple sports (classes: “0,” “1,” and “2 or more” items), and physical activity levels (Chen et al. 2018). A total of 54,576 adolescents’ surveys (median age 14 years, 50.2% male, grades 7-12) were completed and included in the analysis. Binary logistic regression (odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI]) was used to determine the association between the study variables. P-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Overall, the percentages of students mastering “0,” “1,” and “2 or more” sports were 13.6%, 27.7%, and 58.7%, respectively. On the physical fitness standards, 4.2% of the adolescents received an “excellent” rating, 22.7% received a “good” rating, 59.9% received a “pass” rating, and 13.2% received a “no pass” rating. Results of binary logistic regression showed that the students who had mastered multiple sports were more likely to achieve excellent/good physical fitness standards (OR: 1.499, 95% CI: 1.453-1.546), after adjusting for age, sex, grade, residence locale (urban, suburban), and physical activity level. CONCLUSIONS: Mastery of multiple sports is positively associated with physical fitness among adolescents in Shanghai. Promoting the acquisition of sports skills could be an effective approach to improve adolescent health.