Participation In Organized Youth Sports Research Articles

Organized Youth Sports Trajectories and Adult Health Outcomes: The Young Finns Study

This study identified the trajectories of organized youth sports over 9 years in youths aged 9-18 years and examined whether the trajectories predicted physical activity, sedentary behavior, and obesity in midlife. Self-reported organized youth sports trajectories were identified for participants between 1980 and 1989 (N=3,474). Accelerometer-derived physical activity was quantified for participants (n=1,349) in 2018-2020. Sociodemographic, physical activity, and TV viewing data were collected through questionnaires either at baselines or follow-up. Adult BMI was calculated to clarify obesity. Associations of organized youth sports trajectories with adult physical activity, sedentary behavior, and obesity were evaluated using mixture models, which were stratified by sex and conducted in 2022. Three organized youth sports trajectories were identified for boys and girls (sustained high-sports participation, 12.0%/7.5%; sustained moderate-sports participation, 14.0%/13.3%; and low-sports/nonparticipation, 74.0%/79.2%). Boys sustaining both moderate- and high-sports participation had higher levels of adult self-reported physical activity (β=0.59, p=0.007; β=0.69, p<0.001) than low-sports/nonparticipating boys. Girls sustaining both moderate- and high-sports participation accumulated more total physical activity (β=113.4, p=0.009; β=144.3, p=0.002), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (β=7.86, p=0.016; β=14.01, p<0.001), step counts (β=1,020, p=0.003; β=1,045, p=0.005), and self-reported physical activity (β=0.79, p<0001; β=0.63, p=0.003) in midlife than their low-sports/nonparticipating counterparts. Girls sustaining moderate-sports participation accumulated more light-intensity physical activity (β=19.79, p=0.012) and less sedentary time (β= -27.65, p=0.002), and those sustaining high-sports participation had lower obesity prevalence (OR=0.41, p=0.009) 40 years later than low-sports/nonparticipating girls. Sustained participation in organized youth sports is independently predictive of physical activity patterns, sedentary time, and obesity in midlife, especially in girls, thus contributing to the development of a healthy and active lifestyle across the life course.

Where do they all come from? Youth, fitness gyms, sport clubs and social inequality

The exercise levels in fitness gyms are increasing, but little is known about the fitness participants: who they are (social inequality) and where they come from (the link to club sports). Using Norwegian data, our results reveal that the proportion of fitness exercisers has more than tripled in the 13- to 18-year range. The mirror image is found in sports; 7% have never participated in organized sports. Most youths who participate in fitness do so at a low level, while sport participants exercise more often. More boys than girls are engaged in club sports, and more girls participate in fitness. The socioeconomic differences in the participation levels are much greater in club sports than in fitness. The recent ending of participation in organized youth sports is the best predictor of present fitness participation and self-exercise. The longer the club sport career before dropout, the greater the likelihood of fitness participation and self-exercise.

Recognizing the risk of obesity in youth

Participating in youth sports has major benefits for children; however, research has limitations about whether it has a positive effect on reducing the risk of obesity. A representative sample of boys and girls between the ages of 9-12 were examined to indicate whether participation in organized youth sport created a positive effect on the risk of obesity. Obesity is defined as the body mass index (BMI) of boys and girls between ages 9-12 is BMI ≥95th percentile (30+ BMI) &amp; Overweight is BMI ≥85th percentile (25-29 BMI). Children who were sport participants and children who were non-sport participants were the subjects for the study. A sample size of 50 kids (children between ages 9-12 – 25 sport participants and 25 non-sport participants) was randomly selected at one city elementary school in Georgia. Over a one year span the subjects between ages 9-12 who participate in youth sports, 20 out of 25(80%) sport participants illustrated a greater variation of reduced obesity than only five children out of 25 (20%) who did not participate in youth sports were under the overweight, obese level. Data and research suggest participation in youth sports between the ages of 9-12 for boys and girls have a positive effect on reducing the risk of obesity. Supplementary variables also were used in the study such as diet of sport participants versus non-sport participants. Studies also indicated 20 out of 20 (100%) sport-participants between ages of 9-12 were more likely to consume vegetables, proteins, fruits and non-carbonated beverages versus non-sport participants between ages of 9-12 who consumed more carbonated beverages and fast food. Additional research will foster understanding of how participating in youth sports and a healthy diet can have a positive effect on reducing obesity.

Does organized sport participation during youth predict healthy habits in adulthood? A 28-year longitudinal study.

Health behaviors in youth can predict the same behaviors later in life, but the role of sport participation in predicting healthy lifestyle habits is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between participation in organized youth sport and adult healthy lifestyle habits. Data from the longitudinal Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (YFS) with a 28-year follow-up were used. The participation in sport-club training sessions was self-reported by 9-18-year-olds in 1983 and 1986 (n=1285). During 2011, participants (aged 37-43-year old) reported their smoking status, alcohol consumption, fruit and vegetable consumption, and physical activity. Odd ratios (OR) were calculated using logistic regression, to examine how participation in organized youth sport was associated with having three or four versus fewer (0-2) healthy habits in adulthood. Participants who were active in youth sport in both 1983 and 1986 had almost two times greater odds of having three or four healthy habits in adulthood than those who were not active at both time points (OR: 1.75, 95%CI: 1.11-2.76). When the analyses were stratified by sex, the findings were statistically significant among women (OR: 2.13, 95%Cl: 1.13-3.99) but not men (OR: 1.27, 95%CI: 0.63-2.58). The results suggest that participation in organized youth sport could promote healthy lifestyle choices.

Youth sports and physical activity: The relationship between perceptions of childhood sport experience and adult exercise behavior

ObjectiveParticipation in organized youth sports has been shown to positively correlate with increased levels of exercise in adulthood. However, there is limited research to suggest why youth sports participation is related to increased physical activity as an adult. One possible explanation is that positive youth sport experiences lead youth to be more positively inclined to engage in physical activity as adults. Research into the positive youth development aspect of organized sports provides the framework for the current investigation. MethodsAdult participants (N = 234, Mage = 35.35) were asked to retrospectively assess their youth sports experiences using the “Four C's” (i.e., competence, confidence, connectedness, character) framework of positive youth development in sport. These assessments were then compared to current physical activity levels and related variables found in the Health Action Process Approach model (HAPA; Schwarzer, 2008). ResultsBivariate correlations revealed statistically significant and moderate correlations among competence, confidence, and connectedness and all of the HAPA variables including physical activity levels. Further, a MANCOVA analysis revealed that when participants were sub-divided into “non-intenders,” “intenders,” and “actors” using a validated staging algorithm, a general linear trend emerged for competence, confidence, and connectedness such that “non-intenders” rated these constructs the lowest and “actors” rated them the highest. ConclusionThese findings provide preliminary evidence that the relationship between participation in organized youth sports and adulthood levels of exercise could be contingent on how positively that experience is perceived.

Inspiring a generation? Young people's views on the Olympic Games’ legacy

British Journal of School NursingVol. 7, No. 6 ResearchInspiring a generation? Young people's views on the Olympic Games’ legacyRichard CottonRichard CottonSearch for more papers by this authorRichard CottonPublished Online:16 Aug 2013https://doi.org/10.12968/bjsn.2012.7.6.296AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail View article References BBC (2007) Olympic budget rises to £9.3bn. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6453575.stm (accessed 18 May 2012) Google ScholarBBC (2012) Media giant Walt Disney to ban junk food ads. www. bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18336478 (accessed 8 June 2012) Google ScholarBocarro J, Kanters MA, Casper J, Forrester S (2008) School physical education, extracurricular sports, and lifelong active living. 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When to initiate integrative neuromuscular training to reduce sports-related injuries and enhance health in youth?

Regular participation in organized youth sports does not ensure adequate exposure to skill- and health-related fitness activities, and sport training without preparatory conditioning does not appear to reduce risk of injury in young athletes. Current trends indicate that widespread participation in organized youth sports is occurring at a younger age, especially in girls. Current public health recommendations developed to promote muscle strengthening and bone building activities for youth aged 6 yr and older, along with increased involvement in competitive sport activities at younger ages, has increased interest and concern from parents, clinicians, coaches, and teachers regarding the optimal age to encourage and integrate more specialized physical training into youth development programs. This review synthesizes the latest literature and expert opinion regarding when to initiate neuromuscular conditioning in youth and presents a how-to integrative training conceptual model that could maximize the potential health-related benefits for children by reducing sports-related injury risk and encouraging lifelong, regular physical activity.

Organized youth sport as a predictor of physical activity in adulthood

The aim of this study was to examine whether early and sustained organized youth sport during childhood and adolescence predicts the frequency of leisure-time physical activity (PA) at age 23 years. A 10-year longitudinal study of 630 adolescents was conducted. Data were collected from these participants eight times from the ages of 13 to 23 years and were analyzed by analysis of variance and regression. There was a high degree of consistency in participation in organized youth sport in terms of reporting to be a member of a sports club, especially from age 13 to 16 years. The correlation coefficients tended to be higher among males and decreased over time both in females and males. The age at becoming a member in organized sport and duration of participation in organized youth sports during adolescence predicted 9% of the variance of young adult PA. The correlations were higher in males than in females, but these differences were not significant. Organized youth sports during childhood and adolescence was positively related to frequency of leisure-time PA in young adulthood. Joining organized youth sports at an early age and continuing through adolescence appear to increase the likelihood for a physically active lifestyle in young adulthood.

Attitude to physical education and participation in organized youth sports during adolescence related to physical activity in young adulthood: A 10-year longitudinal study

This study examined the relationship between participation in organized youth sport and attitude to physical education (PE) during adolescence and physical activity in young adulthood. The sample comprised 630 participants who completed questionnaires over a 10-year period. Analysis of variance and regression were used to examine the relationship between attitude to PE and participation in organized sport at age 13 years and physical activity at age 23 years. Both genders had a consistent and positive attitude toward PE at age 13—16 years. More boys participated in organized youth sport, and participation rates declined from age 13 to 16 years. Participation in organized sport was the strongest predictor of physical activity at age 23 years in males, whereas attitude to PE was the strongest predictor in females. Participation in sport and physical activity in different arenas during adolescence may affect participation differently in young adult men and women.

Does Sport Foster Social Capital? The Contribution of Sport to a Lifestyle of Community Participation

Little research has been done to date on the contribution of sport to a lifestyle of community participation. This is despite theoretical support from the social capital literature for the suggestion that the relationships and trust fostered through sport participation should lead to involvement in community activities outside of sport. The present study addresses this gap in the research by testing whether participation in organized youth sport positively predicts involvement in particular community activities as an adult. Based on an analysis of survey data collected from a representative sample of Canadians, the findings show that youth sport participation was positively related to adult involvement in community activities, although the predictive effects of youth sport participation were small. The findings also show that the effects of youth sport participation on adult participation in community activities lasted throughout the lifecycle. Both findings are consistent with the social capital literature.

De-emphasizing Competition in Organized Youth Sport: Misdirected Reforms and Misled Children

Throughout the twentieth century, organized youth sport became an increasingly prevalent childhood experience across Western societies—especially in affluent ones. Millions of children participate in organized sport each year. Partici pation is accepted and encouraged as an integral part of children’s lives because of its alleged benefits. Arguably, the goal of organized youth sport is to foster children’s overall welfare. Competition has played a prominent and sometimes controversial role in programs espousing this objective. It is precisely through the organization and administration of competitive sports that youth sport programs seek to advance their goal. However, the growing emphasis on winning, as well as the myriad of excesses and abuses that it has created among parents, coaches, spectators, and young athletes, has generated a massive wave of criticism against competition (6;7;11;26;33;37). Many professional organizations, advocacy groups, and experts in the field believe that organized youth sport programs are in crisis and have recommended reforms designed to establish a healthy environment that emphasizes children’s needs and interests first, so they can make the most of their sport experiences. To ensure this, those who advocate the refocusing of organized youth sport maintain that these programs should “emphasize that there should be action, [and] involvement among all participants” and that adults “need to encourage fun” (6: p. 147; 33). The gist of their proposals is to reprioritize the values inspiring participation in organized youth sport, which necessitates moving away from organizational models that mimic adult-oriented priorities. While confessedly de-emphasizing competition, the recommendations to emphasize action and fun have led organizers and administrators to discourage the formation of regular competitive teams and the keeping of scores or standings, to limit traveling outside the community, and to ensure minimal playing time for all young athletes. This set of recommendations and measures constitutes a growing trend in organized youth sport programs—a trend through which programs purport to underscore children’s interests and welfare over competitive performance and outcomes. In this essay, we argue that this trend in organized youth sport is unwarranted and misleading to children. We believe that when children are initiated into such

An overview of how sports, out‐of‐school time, and youth well‐being can and do intersect

This article examines the benefits and disadvantages of participation in organized youth sports and describes a youth development approach to sports programming. The authors summarize what is known about the physical, socioemotional, and cognitive benefits of sports participation. These include health benefits (for example, a reduction in heart disease and diabetes) as well as socioemotional benefits, among them the coping skills of being able to bounce back from problems. The authors describe some of the disadvantages of participation as well. In particular, studies in this area have focused on health risk behaviors and engagement in problem behaviors. The authors present an innovative approach to youth sports and the advantages of implementing this approach using the emerging community youth development framework. Specific examples of youth sports programs are provided that use a positive youth development framework.

Participation in Organized Youth Sport as a Predictor of Adult Physical Activity: A 21-Year Longitudinal Study

The aim of this study was to investigate how participation in organized competitive youth sport predicts adult physical activity. A random sample of 2,309 boys and girls ages 9–18 years participated in the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study in 1980, and 1,606 (70%) of them again in 2001. Physical activity was measured using a short, validated questionnaire. The results showed that participation in youth sport, and persistent participation in particular, significantly predicted adult physical activity. Participation in sport competitions increased the probability of high activity in adulthood more among males than females.

Youth Sport Participation and Associated Sex Differences on a Measure of Spatial Ability

Sex-related differences on measures of spatial ability favoring males are commonly found in psychological studies. This study investigated the possible association of differential participation in organized youth sport with scores on a measure of spatial ability among a sample of 167 college students. Such participation was not significantly related to spatial scores of men or women nor did it reduce sex differences.

Organized youth sports and the psychological development of nine-year-old males

Two hundred thirty-two 9-year-old males were administered the Harter Self-Perception Profile before and after a season of participation in organized youth sports to assess changes in their self-perceptions of competence and self-worth. The children were participating in either soccer or baseball, and the levels of competition were either tryout or recreation. Harter's cognitive-developmental formulations suggested that soccer players and/or the recreation league players in both sports would show greater increases in self-perceptions than those involved in baseball and/or the tryout leagues. Additionally, parents and coaches rated the players on several dimensions hypothesized to be influenced by participation in youth sports. Across all groups, children's perceptions of their athletic and scholastic competence, physical appearance, and global self-worth increased from pre- to post-season. Although there were no differential changes by group, the results suggest that these activities at best promoted children's psychological development, and at worst, did not decrease their self-perceptions.