Abstract
BackgroundParticipation in sport and physical activity is reported to decline during adolescence, particularly for females. However we do not have a clear understanding of changes in the context (i.e., modes and settings) of participation throughout adolescence. This study investigated longitudinal changes in physical activity participation and the specific modes and settings of physical activity, together with cross-sectional comparisons, for two age cohorts of female adolescents.MethodsSurvey of 729 adolescent girls (489 recruited in Year 7 and 243 in Year 11). Participation in eight different modes/settings was reported. PA was measured using 24-h recall diary and metabolic equivalent weighted energy expenditure (MET-min) in Leisure Time Moderate and Vigorous Physical Activity (LTMVPA) on the previous day was calculated.ResultsThere were no significant changes in duration or total MET-min of LTMVPA on previous day. However, there were significant changes in the modes/settings of participation across time. Participation in school physical education rose during early adolescence before decreasing significantly, and participation in competitive sport and club sport significantly decreased over time; however there were increases in non-competitive forms of physical activity.ConclusionsOverall levels of physical activity did not significantly decrease over adolescence, which is positive for physical health. However, the transition from structured sport to non-organised physical activity may effect social and psychological health, which needs to be further examined.
Highlights
Participation in sport and physical activity is reported to decline during adolescence, for females
The postcodes of schools were used to assign a value of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) SEIFA (Socio-economic Indices for Areas) Index of Relative Socioeconomic Advantage and Disadvantage (IRSAD) [13] to each, and the distribution of schools was checked to ensure they were representative of the broader IRSAD distribution in Victoria
There were no significant differences in age, SES (SEIFA IRSAD score of residential postcode), self-reported BMI in either cohort; in the Year 7 cohort completers had a lower self-reported weight at baseline than non-completers
Summary
Participation in sport and physical activity is reported to decline during adolescence, for females. This study investigated longitudinal changes in physical activity participation and the specific modes and settings of physical activity, together with cross-sectional comparisons, for two age cohorts of female adolescents. For adolescent girls the annual percent decline in PA in a crosssectional sample was approximatly 4 % or -1.76 min of Moderate and Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) per day [7]. Another cross-sectional sample in Australia found no significant difference between the proportions of Year 7 and Year 11 girls exceeding or meeting the
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