Abstract
ABSTRACTAdolescents in Qatar have some of the highest levels of inactivity and gender inequality in physical activity (PA) among all adolescents in the world. Contextual psychosocial influences remain unknown to date. The current study is a secondary analysis of 1,157 Qatari students (13 to 20 years of age) who completed a national cross-sectional survey. Males reported significantly higher daily PA than females (p < 0.0001) and increasing daily PA with personal importance for PA (p = 0.0140). However, compared to females, significantly higher proportion of daily active males were in the lowest level of self-efficacy (p = 0.0096), body shape satisfaction (p = 0.0003), likeness of body in pictures (p = 0.0011), and highest levels of psychological distress (p = 0.0313). Our results support positive association between adverse psychosocial constructs and daily PA in both genders; poor psychosocial profile was more pronounced among adolescent males. Future strategies aiming to increase PA should take into consideration these differences.
Highlights
Adequate physical activity (PA) among youth has considerable benefits for health and psychological wellbeing (World Health Organization [WHO], 2017)
Participation in physical activity demonstrated unexpected association with adverse psychosocial constructs among adolescent males, with comparably high rates of low General Self-Efficacy (GSE), negative Body image (BI), and elevated Psychological distress (PD) when compared to females
Low GSE and high PD were unexpectedly associated with daily PA behaviour in both genders and with a negative BI in males
Summary
Adequate physical activity (PA) among youth has considerable benefits for health and psychological wellbeing (World Health Organization [WHO], 2017). The majority of youth worldwide fall short of the PA requirements set by World Health Organization (WHO) (WHO, 2015). Qatar has witnessed remarkable rates of economic growth, Westernization and modernization over the past decade. The impact of these rapid changes on sedentary lifestyle, media use, and consumerism is likely to contribute to the lack of PA, poor dietary patterns, and rising trends of obesity and non-communicable chronic diseases in Qatar and other neighbouring countries (WHO, 2014)
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