Physical activity of 15-17 years old adolescents in different educational settings: a Polish-Czech study

Assessment of physical activity among adolescents: a guide to the literature

Purpose

The aim of this article is to systematically review articles and annual reports concerning young peoples' physical activity (PA) and linking this to considerations of the state and national defense.

Method

A systematic search of the literature included an analysis of publications accessible in global databases and other available books, student papers, and projects. The articles and reports were categorized based on year of publication, methods used, age of respondents, sample size, country, and digital object identifier (DOI).

Results

The result of this search is an overview of the extent and manner in which the worldwide scientific community is addressing the current situation and the long-term development of the physical fitness of adolescents. This publication also maps to what extent professional publications and articles are addressing PA from the perspective of the needs of armies and armed forces of various countries around the world.

Conclusions

The article provides a systematic overview of methods used to measure PA, and an overview of articles dealing with assessing PA. The examined articles indicate that from the perspective of not only national defense, but also health and overall quality of life, in particular, we need initiatives to encourage and motivate young people to increase their everyday PA. The research therefore also includes an overview of factors that may considerably influence PA. The results ascertained in this publication will be used, i.a. for investigating a longitudinal defense research project of the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic in which the authors are participating.

How Czech Adolescents Perceive Their Physical Activity

Adolescence is a critical stage in the development of an individual's physical activity (PA) habits and preferences. Adolescents' perceptions of PA can influence their motivation to engage in PA and, consequently, their overall level of PA. Thus, our primary aim was to investigate whether Czech adolescents misperceive their peers' PA. Our dataset comprised cross-sectional data on 1289 adolescents aged 11-15 years. PA was measured using self-reported items used in the HBSC study. To describe the gender and school grade differences in VPA, independent samples T, ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis H tests were performed. To analyze the effect of gender, school grade, school, and participants' own PA on the underestimation of PA, binomial regression models were used. Our study points out that there is a discrepancy between self-perceived levels of PA and the perceived descriptive norms of peers' PA. Adolescents underestimate the prevalence of sufficient PA, and thus perceived descriptive norms in PA as being worse than levels of own PA. These findings indicate room for targeted interventions based on social-norms-based approaches to increase the PA of adolescents or at least strengthen their actual positive behavior.

The Impact of Distance Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Activity and Well-Being of Czech and Polish Adolescents

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to identify the changes in the structure of weekly physical activity (PA) and well-being among adolescent boys and girls between habitual education (HE) and distance education (DE) during the pandemic in secondary schools.

METHODS

The research was carried out in 12 Czech and 18 Polish schools during 2019 to 2020 academic session for HE and 2020 to 2021 academic session for DE. The research involved 723 girls and 626 boys aged 15 to 18 years. The structure of the weekly PA was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Long Form, while well-being was assessed using the World Health Organization-5 Well-Being Index.

RESULTS

There was a statistically significant decrease of PA among boys in school PA, transportation PA, recreation PA, vigorous PA, moderate PA, walking, and overall weekly PA during the DE resulting from the pandemic. In girls, during DE, a decrease was observed in school PA, vigorous PA, and overall PA. During DE, a high level of well-being was reported by only 34.9% of girls (43.8% during HE) and 50% of boys (65.6% during HE).

CONCLUSIONS

The observed low PA and high incidence of depressive symptoms in adolescents in distance education during pandemic constraints are a challenge for schools to change in supporting physical activity, eliminating similar negative impacts on school life in the future.

Differences and Associations between Physical Activity Motives and Types of Physical Activity among Adolescent Boys and Girls

Interventions aimed at motivation for physical activity (PA) are mostly beneficial, but the effects on preventing the decrease in PA are not entirely clear, especially in girls. The main aim of this study was to identify the differences and associations between PA motives and types of PA in boys and girls and between low and high motivated boys and girls. Another aim is to identify the types of motivation and PA that increase the likelihood of achieving PA recommendations and to propose ways of increasing PA among low motivated adolescents. The research carried out before the COVID-19 pandemic (2010–2019) and involved 2,149 Czech and 1,927 Polish adolescents aged 15–19 years. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Long Form was used to identify the level of PA types, while PA motivation was examined through the Motives for Physical Activities Measure-Revised. During the ten years, a decline was observed in enjoyment, fitness, and social motives. An increase in appearance motives was observed in girls, while no significant changes were seen in boys. Boys showed a higher motivation for PA than girls in enjoyment, competence, fitness, and social motives, while girls were high motivated in appearance motives. The greatest statistically significant differences between low and high motivated individuals were found in the associations between recreation/vigorous PA and between all types of motivation in boys and girls in both countries. The strongest associations in both genders were observed between enjoyment/competence motives and recreation/vigorous PA. Respecting and using the associations between the types of PA motives and types of PA in low and high motivated boys and girls can support feelings of PA enjoyment, increase PA, support the achievement of PA recommendations, and positively affect adolescents' healthy lifestyles.

Surveillance of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in czech children and adolescents: a scoping review of the literature from the past two decades

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to map the available evidence related to physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) in Czech children and adolescents and suggest future directions and improvements to strengthen the surveillance of PA and SB in the Czech Republic.

METHODS

The search of articles published between January 2000 and December 2020 included the Medline and Medvik databases and a manual search in eight Czech journals related to the topic. This review followed the "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews".

RESULTS

Out of 350 identified articles, 79 articles met the criteria for selection and referred to 27 studies. The majority of the articles were cross-sectional (89%), approximately two-thirds of the articles (61%) examined only PA, and half of the articles (51%) employed device-based assessments. Approximately 47% of the articles reported the prevalence of physical inactivity on the basis of inconsistently defined recommendations. Approximately 14%, 23%, and 10% of the articles focused on active transportation, organized PA (including physical education or leisure-time PA), and parent-child PA, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Future studies need to focus on longitudinal design and interventions, randomly selected samples, a mix of device-based and self-reported methods, and the recognition of health-related 24-hour time use patterns. This review advocates the government-supported development of a national surveillance system that will help to reduce insufficient PA and excessive SB.

Does Vigorous Physical Activity Contribute to Adolescent Life Satisfaction?

Background: Physical and mental health are the basis of life satisfaction (LS), even during adolescence. The aim of this study was to identify the associations between LS and types of physical activity (PA) in Czech and Polish boys and girls. Methods: The research involved 933 girls and 663 boys aged 15–19 years. LS was diagnosed using the Bern Subjective Well-Being Questionnaire and the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-long form (IPAQ-LF) questionnaire was used to identify the types of weekly PA. Results: Adolescents with the highest LS had more recreational, moderate, vigorous, and total weekly PA. The strongest associations between LS and PA were in the Czech and Polish boys and girls who participated in vigorous PA (VPA). The recommendations for VPA were fulfilled by 45% of Czech and 46% of Polish boys and 40% of Czech and 50% of Polish girls, with the highest LS. The most significant positive moderator between LS and PA was participation in organized PA. Boys with the highest LS were 1.94 times more likely to meet the weekly recommendation of VPA than boys with the lowest LS. Similarly, girls with the highest LS were 1.77 times more likely to meet these recommendations. Conclusions: Promoting both current subjective well-being and organized PA, with an emphasis on achieving the VPA recommendations, may support general LS and a healthy lifestyle in adolescents.

The Association between Participation in Organized Physical Activity and the Structure of Weekly Physical Activity in Polish Adolescents

The main aim of the study was to determine the associations of participation in organized physical activity (OPA), and the structure of weekly physical activity (PA) with meeting the PA recommendations among Polish boys and girls. The research was conducted between 2012 and 2019 in the Silesian region of Poland among 3499 secondary school students. To determine the structure of PA (school, transportation, home, recreation, vigorous moderate, and walking), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Long Form (IPAQ-LF) questionnaire was used. Adolescents participating in OPA showed significantly more PA (p < 0.001) than non-participating adolescents. The strongest associations were observed between participation in OPA and vigorous PA. The weekly recommendation of vigorous PA was met by 61% of the students with three or more lessons of OPA per week, 29% of students with one or two lessons of OPA per week, and 24% of students not participating in OPA. Therefore, boys and girls with no OPA are at greatest risk of health issues. Schools, sports clubs, and leisure institutions should increase the participation of adolescents in OPA, especially non-participants. Comprehensive school PA programs should especially include those forms of OPA that respect health weaknesses, individual talents for specific types of PA, and preferred types of PA among adolescents.

Adolescents' Physical Activity in Education Systems Varying in the Number of Weekly Physical Education Lessons

Purpose: School physical activity (SPA) is a significant component of daily PA. We investigated differences in PA between boys and girls in two differing education systems-Poland and the Czech Republic-which have four and two physical education lessons (PELs) per week, respectively. Method: This project was conducted from 2012-2016 at 17 Polish and 23 Czech secondary schools (N = 921; mean age = 16.2 ± 0.7 years). ActiTrainer accelerometers were used to monitor participants' PA and heart rate during school days. Weekly PA was measured using pedometers. Subjective levels of weekly PA were self-reported on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-long form. Results: The Polish education system enabled adolescents to meet the recommendations for moderate-to-vigorous PA more likely than did the Czech system. SPA also represented a higher portion of daily PA in the Polish (vs. Czech system); however, the differences in total daily step count between Polish and Czech adolescents were non-significant. SPA accounted for 30-37% of the daily PA (as measured by step count) of Polish girls (23-30% of Czech girls) and 28-39% of Polish boys (25-37% of Czech boys). Conclusions: Participation in PELs was associated with a higher rate of meeting SPA recommendations in both countries. Compared with the Czech Republic, more PELs in the Polish education system was associated with increased daily vigorous PA and a greater portion of SPA in daily PA. Differences in overall daily and weekly moderate-to-vigorous PA between Polish and Czech adolescents were non-significant.

Physical Activity Recommendations for Segments of School Days in Adolescents: Support for Health Behavior in Secondary Schools

School physical activity (PA) is an indispensable part of daily PA, the foundation for developing lifelong PA and fitness, and an easy way to gain physical and health literacy. School PA is equally important for understanding the continuity of physical and mental health, even in broader psychosocial aspects. Regarding long-term outcomes, significant attention has been paid to the determination of daily and weekly recommendations for adolescent PA. However, comprehensive approaches suggesting recommendations for PA in segments of the school day are rare. This study aimed to (a) provide a rationale for PA recommendations in segments of school days and incorporate it into generally accepted PA recommendations, and (b) promote radical changes in the educational process toward a healthy school lifestyle through PA recommendations in segments of school days. The results of research conducted in 98 secondary schools in the Czech Republic and 104 secondary schools in Poland from 2009 to 2017 were used in this study. In total, 3,860 boys and 5,237 girls from the Czech Republic and 3,052 boys and 3,329 girls from Poland, all aged 15-19, participated. We recommended at least 2,000 steps (or 10 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA) for the before school segment and at least 6,000 steps (or 30 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA) for the after-school segment. For the time spent at school, we further recommended at least 500 steps/h (alternatively, at least 3,000 steps/school time), 20 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA (≥3METs or 60% HRmax), and at least one HRsubmax/max response to significant stress during PA to mitigate educational stress and high levels of sedentary behavior in schools. PA should account for at least 25% of school time, even on days with no scheduled physical education lessons. We propose using PA recommendations in segments of school days to achieve positive changes in the educational process and school lifestyle. Acceptance of PA recommendations in segments of school days theories on physical education could help refine and concretize demands for changes in PA and lifestyle in secondary schools. In practice, it could support the creation of innovative and comprehensive school PA programs. Future research should focus on obtaining evidence in support for adolescent PA by applying PA recommendations in segments of school days.

Associations between adolescents' preference for fitness activities and achieving the recommended weekly level of physical activity

This study aimed to explore differences in rates of achieving the weekly physical activity (PA) recommendation between adolescents who preferred fitness PA and those who did not. Furthermore, we investigated the types of PA practiced by adolescents. In total, 9513 participants from the Czech Republic and Poland, aged 15-18 years took part in the study between 2009 and 2016. Out of this source sample, 4977 self-reported their weekly PA using the IPAQ-Long Form, and 1348 objectively monitored their weekly PA using pedometers and recorded the type of PA. Boys ranked fitness PA third, after team and individual sports. For girls, the preference for fitness PA grew at the expense of dance and outdoor PA. Among Czech and Polish boys as well as Czech girls, those who preferred fitness PA were more likely to achieve the recommended weekly PA level than those who did not prefer fitness PA. We did not find a significant difference in other types of PA and rates of achieving the recommendation of 11,000 steps/day. Preference for fitness PA was associated with an increased likelihood (OR = 1.30; 95% CI = 1.12-1.52; p < 0.001) of achieving the recommendation for PA. When promoting adolescents' PA, it is necessary to consider preferred PA types. The PA recommendation was met by almost 33% of adolescents who indicated a preference for fitness PA, but only by 22% of those not preferring fitness activities. Organized PA is also important for meeting PA recommendations.