A Systematic Review of Factors Associated with Sport Participation among Adolescent Females

Perceived coaches' health promotion activity, maintenance of participation in sports, and lifestyle habits among emerging adults: a four-year follow-up study

OBJECTIVES

This study focused on how adolescents' perceptions of coaches' health promotion activity predict maintained participation and dropout in organized sports in emerging adulthood. In addition, differences in lifestyle habits between maintainers, dropouts, and nonparticipants in organized sports were explored.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Overall, 616 adolescents reported organized sports participation in the Finnish Health Promoting Sports Club (FHPSC) study at ages 15 and 19. Of these, 323 reported coach's health promotion activity on health topics at the age of 15. An index of a coach's general health promotion activity was formed. At age 19, all study participants reported their lifestyle habits.

RESULTS

Among males, those who had perceived coaches' general health promotion activity as frequent were more likely to be maintainers than dropouts (48.6% vs. 20.0%) (p = .002). Among females, there was no significant difference (32.0% vs. 28.4%). Logistic regression analysis adjusted for gender showed that perceiving coach's general health promotion activity as frequent increased the odds of being a maintainer rather than a dropout. Moreover, maintainers had higher odds of having healthy lifestyle habits when compared to nonparticipants (related to physical activity; sleep; fruit and vegetable consumption; and cigarette use) or dropouts (related to physical activity; and cigarette use). In addition, dropouts had higher odds of having healthy lifestyle habits than nonparticipants (related to sleep; and cigarette use).

CONCLUSIONS

Perceiving coaches' health promotion activity as frequent was related to maintained participation in organized sports among males. Maintainers were more likely to have more healthy lifestyle habits than nonparticipants and dropouts. There is a need to invest in coaches' health promotion activity when it is infrequent. A more detailed understanding is needed of coaches' health promotion activity that supports both maintained participation in sports, especially among females, and healthy lifestyle habits in emerging adulthood.

Influence of the Sociomotor Component of Sports Practice on Adolescent Sustainability Awareness

BACKGROUND

In the context of increasing global focus on sustainability, it is critical to explore how various activities, such as sports, affect young people's understanding of sustainability. Despite the recognized importance, there is a significant research gap regarding the impact of different sports practices especially their sociomotor components on adolescents' sustainability awareness (SA) across environmental, social, and economic dimensions.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study assessed the relationship between the sociomotor component of sports practices and SA in 1157 adolescents, representing diverse genders, socioeconomic backgrounds, and educational levels. The Sustainability Consciousness Questionnaire was employed to measure aspects of sustainability, and sports practices were categorized by their sociomotor components to evaluate their influence on SA.

RESULTS

Analysis revealed a significant association between cooperative sports without opposition and SA, particularly within the social dimension. These sports practices, which emphasize team collaboration over competition, were linked to increased social SA among adolescents, suggesting the educational potential of incorporating such sports into academic and extracurricular programs.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings underscore the potential role of cooperative sports in fostering a deeper understanding of sustainability among youth. By reducing ego-centric behavior and encouraging teamwork, these sports practices may contribute to developing a more socially conscious and sustainable mindset. This study points to the importance of including cooperative sports in educational curricula and suggests the need for further research to explore the long-term effects of sports on sustainability education, with the goal of leveraging sports as a tool for promoting a sustainable future.

Factors predicting participation in organised sports during adolescence: A two-year longitudinal perspective

BACKGROUND

Participation in youth sports is a major determinant of current and future health, yet participation rates are declining. It is of great importance to examine the factors that potentially influence adolescents' levels of participation in organised sports.

AIM

First, we examined change in participation over two years from the start of secondary education. Second, we examined whether a combination of factors (i.e. motives, barriers, perceived competence, encouragement and motor skills) based on the Youth Physical Activity Promotion model was associated with participation after one year. Third, we examined whether the associations between each of the factors and participation in organised sports changed over time.

METHODS

Data were collected on three occasions between October 2020 and November 2022 using questionnaires, motor skill test items and anthropometric measurements. We analysed data from 204 Dutch adolescents (11 to 14 years) using dependent t tests, Cochran's Q test and multilevel linear fixed effects regression models.

RESULTS

First, participation in organised sports was stable during the first years of secondary education. Second, adolescents who reported higher motives, higher perceptions of competence and more encouragement spent more time in organised sports one year later. Barriers and motor skills did not predict participation. Third, relationships of each of the six factors with participation remained stable over time.

CONCLUSION

Although participation in organised sports is often considered to decline during the first years of secondary education, it can be stable for a significant portion of the population. Motives, perceived competence, and encouragement seem crucial to stimulate adolescents' participation in organised sports.

Active Child, Accomplished Youth: Middle Childhood Active Leisure Fuels Academic Success by Emerging Adulthood

Background/Objectives: Physical activity is an important protective factor throughout life. However, little research has observed the associations between the practice of physical activity and academic success longitudinally, and none have done so with a pan-Canadian sample. This article aims to examine the prospective associations between active leisure in middle childhood and academic achievement in emerging adulthood, for both boys and girls, beyond several family factors. Methods: Participants are 2775 children from the National Longitudinal Study on Children and Youth (NLSCY) aged between 12 and 20 years. Active leisure was self-reported by children at age 12 years regarding their weekly organized sport, artistic sport, and unstructured physical activity participation outside of school hours. Academic success was measured by self-reported school average at age 18 years and the obtention of high school diploma at age 20 years. Results: Girls who engaged in more organized or artistic sports at age 12 years had better academic results at age 18 years (respectively β = -0.082, p < 0.01; β = -0.228, p < 0.001). Both boys and girls who partook in more organized sports at age 12 years were more likely to graduate from high school by age 20 years (respectively β = -0.146, p < 0.001; β = -0.071, p < 0.05). However, girls who engaged in more unstructured physical activity at age 12 years had lower academic achievement at age 18 years (β = 0.077, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Policy makers should aim to reduce the many barriers to an active lifestyle in childhood. Parents should be encouraged to lead their children to go play outside with friends to allow them to fully reap the benefits of an active lifestyle from a young age.

Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Accessibility: An Area Deprivation Index (ADI) Analysis of National Basketball Association (NBA) Players' Profiles

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Youth sports are increasingly shifting towards a "pay to play" model which has introduced financial barriers to participation. The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is the main organization for club basketball, serving as a platform where young athletes can compete beyond the recreational level. Outside the realm of athletes who have access to state-of-the-art facilities and top-tier coaching, the pathway to playing basketball at the next level may be predominantly available to those who can afford the considerable costs of AAU participation. The objective of this study is to determine the accessibility of AAU teams of active National Basketball Association (NBA) players through use of the Area Deprivation Index (ADI).

RECENT FINDINGS

We identified 114 AAU teams with physical addresses for 250 (50%) currently active domestic NBA players. The State ADI of the high schools as well as national and state ADIs of prior AAU teams of active NBA players were significantly skewed toward lower ADI rankings (higher socioeconomic status) (p < 0.05). The mean distance between high school location and AAU location was 170 miles. Prior AAU teams of currently active NBA players are more frequently located in areas of higher socioeconomic status with nearly 50% being within the top 3rd lower state decile as measured by the area deprivation index. Similarly, we found the high schools these players attended, as a proxy for areas they grew up in, were also more frequently located in areas of higher socioeconomic status.

Exploring adolescent participation in football: a gender-differentiated structural equation model based on the theory of planned behavior

This paper explores the intersection of gender and sports participation in adolescence, focusing on traditionally male-dominated sports like football. We aim to develop a structural model based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to examine gender-differentiated patterns and factors influencing adolescent participation in football. We analyzes data from 1,147 adolescents using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results indicate that a blend of attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and past behavior effectively predicts adolescents' willingness to engage in football. Moreover, the study investigates the roles of perceived behavioral control, past behavior, and behavioral intentions in actual football participation, uncovering significant gender disparities in the progression from past behavior to intentions and subsequent behavior. This research highlights the complex role of gender in football participation and provides strategic insights for increasing girls' involvement in the sport. Our study sets the stage for future research on enhancing girls' participation in football.

Facilitators and constraints to adult sports participation: A systematic review

Despite the well-documented health, social and economic benefits of sports participation, adults' participation in organised sport declines as age increases. To date, no review has summarised the multi-level factors that influence adults' decisions to participate in sport. Therefore, this systematic literature review aimed to: 1) determine the facilitators, constraints and negotiated constraints to adults' (25-64 years) sport participation, and 2) summarise these factors according to the multiple levels of the social-ecological model. A total of 91 articles were identified following an extensive literature search conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. Studies were published over four decades (1983-2023), predominantly located in North America (n = 45; 49.5%), ranged from 5 to 10,646 participants, examined mainly middle-aged adults (Mrange = 35-44 years; n = 52; 48.6%), included more males (61.6%) than females (38.1%), and were conducted in primarily single sport contexts (n = 63; 69.2%). Overall, more unique facilitators (55 items) were identified than constraints (35 items) and negotiated constraints (13 items). The desire for improved health and enjoyment were the most frequently reported facilitators, and the main constraints were injury or illness and family commitments. Constraint negotiation strategies largely included individual (e.g., implementing financial strategies) and interpersonal factors (e.g., encouraging others to participate). This review highlighted the expansive multi-level factors that influence adults' sports participation, reiterated the complexity of developing appropriate sport offerings, and identified a lack of studies examining non-sport participants. Strategies to support adult sport participation should focus on enjoyment, consider co-designed sport modifications to alleviate perceived constraints and integrate behaviour change theory to foster positive sport participation habits.

Change in general and domain-specific physical activity during the transition from primary to secondary education: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Knowledge of changes in the domains of physical activity (PA) during the transition period from primary to secondary education and the factors associated with these changes, are prerequisites for the design of effective PA promotion strategies. Therefore, the first aim of this study was to systematically review changes in general, leisure-time, school, transport, work, and home PA across the transition from primary to secondary education. The second aim was to systematically review the individual, social, and physical environmental factors that were associated with these changes.

METHODS

Records published up until September 2023 were retrieved from five electronic databases. We included longitudinal and cross-sectional studies that investigated general or domain-specific PA from 2 years before to 2 years after the transition from primary to secondary education. Information on source, study characteristics, sample characteristics, PA, and factors were extracted from the papers included. We reported the direction of change in general and domain-specific PA and the direction of association of the factors with change in general and domain-specific PA.

RESULTS

Forty-eight papers were included in the study. The evidence on changes in PA and associated factors was greatest for general PA. A limited number of the studies investigated the separate domains of leisure-time, school, and transport. Most studies on general and school PA reported a decline in PA, but there were no consistent results for the domains of leisure-time and transport. With respect to the associated factors, evidence was predominantly found for individual factors and to a lesser degree for physical environmental and social environmental factors. None of the factors were consistently associated with changes in general or domain-specific PA during the school transition.

CONCLUSIONS

For the design of targeted PA promotion strategies, further studies are warranted to explore changes in the specific domains of PA across the transition from primary to secondary education, especially in the domains of leisure-time, transport, home, and work PA. In addition, the interactions between factors at different socioecological levels to influence changes in PA need to be addressed more in the future.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42020190204.

The International Olympic Committee framework on fairness, inclusion and nondiscrimination on the basis of gender identity and sex variations does not protect fairness for female athletes

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently published a framework on fairness, inclusion, and nondiscrimination on the basis of gender identity and sex variations. Although we appreciate the IOC's recognition of the role of sports science and medicine in policy development, we disagree with the assertion that the IOC framework is consistent with existing scientific and medical evidence and question its recommendations for implementation. Testosterone exposure during male development results in physical differences between male and female bodies; this process underpins male athletic advantage in muscle mass, strength and power, and endurance and aerobic capacity. The IOC's "no presumption of advantage" principle disregards this reality. Studies show that transgender women (male-born individuals who identify as women) with suppressed testosterone retain muscle mass, strength, and other physical advantages compared to females; male performance advantage cannot be eliminated with testosterone suppression. The IOC's concept of "meaningful competition" is flawed because fairness of category does not hinge on closely matched performances. The female category ensures fair competition for female athletes by excluding male advantages. Case-by-case testing for transgender women may lead to stigmatization and cannot be robustly managed in practice. We argue that eligibility criteria for female competition must consider male development rather than relying on current testosterone levels. Female athletes should be recognized as the key stakeholders in the consultation and decision-making processes. We urge the IOC to reevaluate the recommendations of their Framework to include a comprehensive understanding of the biological advantages of male development to ensure fairness and safety in female sports.

Sports-related factors predicting maintained participation and dropout in organized sports in emerging adulthood: A four-year follow-up study

This study explored sports-related factors predicting organized sports participation in emerging adulthood. In the Finnish Health Promoting Sports Club (FHPSC) study, 354 sports club participants aged 15 at baseline reported their main sport, onset age, training volume, current competitive level, and future competitive orientation and participated in the follow-up study at age 19. There were differences in the proportions of maintainers and dropouts in a few sports: football (maintainers 58.6%), and among females, skating (maintainers 60.7%), and swimming (dropouts 80.0%). A binary logistic regression analysis showed that those who had started their main sport by school age (females OR 3.05/95% CI 1.34, 6.98; males OR 3.97/95% CI 1.48, 10.64) and had competed at national top level plus had aimed at success at the adult level competitions in future (females OR 3.42/95% CI 1.16, 10.09; males OR 3.58/95% CI 1.12, 11.41; among females, also had competed at national top level plus had aimed at success at junior level competitions [OR 3.42/95% CI 1.20, 9.78]) were more likely maintainers than dropouts. Early onset in the main sport and competitiveness were related to maintained sports participation while the opposites were related to dropouts in the current organized sports system.

Association Between Sports Participation and Psychosocial Wellbeing of Australian Children: An 8-year Longitudinal Study

PURPOSE

Sports participation is associated with children's health and wellbeing; however, existing evidence is predominantly based on cross-sectional studies. This study examined the longitudinal association of sports participation with psychosocial wellbeing of Australian children.

METHODS

Data were from five waves of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children aged 6-7 years in 2010 (n = 4,242) and followed up until 2018. Outcomes were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Sports participation was measured using two items assessing regular participation in team and individual sports.

RESULTS

Multilevel mixed effects modeling showed that any sports participation was beneficially associated with psychosocial wellbeing. Boys who participated in team sports had 1.78 point lower difficulties score (β = -1.78; 95% confidence interval: --2.01,-1.55), while this was 0.58 points lower for individual sports (β =-0.58; -0.81,-0.34). In girls, difficulties score was 1.22 point lower for team sports (β = -1.22; -1.44,-1.00) and 0.49 point lower for individual sports (β = -0.49; -0.71,-0.26). Sports participation was positively associated with better quality of life with team sports (β = 4.72; 4.15,5.28 for boys; β = 3.44; 2.87,4.00 for girls) offering more benefits than individual sports (β = 1.00; 0.83,1.98 for boys; β = 1.40; 0.83,1.98 for girls). Participation in both team and individual sports had the strongest benefits. Prolonged engagement in sports was associated with better psychosocial wellbeing in a dose-dependent manner.

DISCUSSION

Regular participation in any sports can benefit children's wellbeing with team sports being more beneficial than individual sports. Encouraging children to regularly participate and remain engaged in sports can help to optimize their psychosocial wellbeing.

Secular trends in the physical fitness of Brazilian youth: Evidence that fitness is declining for the majority but not for a fit minority

BACKGROUND

There has been a decline in children's physical fitness in recent decades. Such concerns are largely based on evidence from North America, Europe, and Asia. The current study describes the secular trend and variation (spread) in the physical fitness scores of young Brazilians from 2005 to 2022.

METHODS

This study is a repeated, cross-sectional surveillance study (1999-2022). Children and adolescents (n = 65 139; boys = 36 539) participated between 2005 and 2022. In each cohort six physical fitness tests were conducted: (1) 20-m sprint speed (m s-1 ), (2) cardio-respiratory 6-min run test (m min-1 ), (3) abdominal strength test (sit-ups per min), (4) horizontal jump test (cm), (5) the agility test (m s-1 ), and (6) the medicine ball throw test (cm). Means and distributional characteristics of the population were assessed using ANOVA, ANCOVA adopting BMI as the body-size covariate, Levene's test of equality-of-error variances, and Box and whisker plots.

RESULTS

ANOVAs and ANCOVA's identified significant declines in physical fitness over time/year in 5 of the 6 physical fitness variables (e.g., 20-m sprint speed slope B = -0.018 (m s-1  y-1 ); 95% CI -0.019 to -0.017; p < 0.001), the only exception being the medicine ball throw test (cm). The Levene's test of equality-of-error variances also identified a systematic increase in the variances/standard deviations over time/years.

CONCLUSIONS

Results provide powerful evidence that children and adolescents' physical fitness is declining, a trend that is also diverging asymmetrically, becoming more extreme in more recent years. The "fit" appear to be getting fitter, but the fitness of the "less-fit" appears to be declining further. These results have important implications for sports medicine and government policy makers.

Motivation toward Physical Activity and Healthy Habits of Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Adolescence is a transformative period in which rapid physical, cognitive and psychosocial growth takes place. Laying the foundation for healthy behaviors is paramount during these formative years. The aim of this review is to determine which countries are leading in research on adolescents’ motivation towards physical activity and healthy habits and their main findings. A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA statement using the Web of Science and Scopus databases during the months of September to December 2022. The search terms used were: “Physical activity”, “Motivation” and “Adolescents”, in the following research areas: Education, Educational Research and Sport Sciences. A total of 5594 articles were identified, but only those that met the established criteria were included (32 articles). It is concluded that most of the research is led in Spain with 16 articles, followed by 3 in Chile, 2 in Portugal, 2 in Norway and the rest of the countries with 1. Likewise, most of the works include very similar aspects regarding the incidence of motivation towards the adherence to the practice of Physical Activity and healthy habits.

How Can Sport-Based Interventions Improve Health among Women and Girls? A Scoping Review

Sport has been identified by the World Health Organization as an underutilized yet important contributor to global physical activity, by UNESCO as a fundamental right, and by the United Nations as a promising driver for gender equity through improved long-term health of women and girls. Although sport-based interventions have been popularized to advance educational, social, and political development globally, little attention has been given to its impacts on health outcomes among women and girls. We undertook a scoping review of research on sport-based interventions for health among women and girls to summarize current research approaches and findings. PRISMA scoping review guidelines were observed. Online databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science) were used to identify peer-reviewed records published through August 2022. The interventions identified (n = 4) targeted health outcomes such as gender-based violence, HIV prevention, reproductive health, and child marriage. Based on our review, we recommend four key opportunities to advance the field of sport-based interventions in addressing health equity among women and girls. In addition, we highlight promising future research directions to broaden sport engagement of women and girls, improve long-term health, and build capacity toward health equity.

Exercise health belief model mediates the relationship between physical activity and peer support among Chinese college students: A cross-sectional survey

This study explored the influence of the exercise health belief model and peer support on university students' physical activity PA and clarified the related mechanism. Three hundred and thirty-six healthy university students (aged 19.4 ± 1.3 years, 166 male and 170 female) from Sichuan University of Arts and Science in China were evaluated by the peer support scale, the health belief model scale for exercise, and the physical activity scale (short volume). The results showed that the male students' exercise self-efficacy and PA were markedly higher than female university students. Peer support was positively correlated with perceived benefits, exercise self-efficacy, perceived severity, and cues to action, and was adversely associated with perceived objective and subjective barriers. PA was positively correlated with perceived benefits and exercise self-efficacy, and negatively correlated with perceived objective and subjective barriers. Among the components of the exercise health belief model, only exercise self-efficacy was suitable for constructing a structural equation model (SEM) with peer support and PA. The analysis showed that the predictive effect of exercise self-efficacy on PA was more significant than peer support, and exercise self-efficacy played a critical intermediary role. It is worth noting that, in the grouping model, the effect of male college students' exercise self-efficacy on PA was greater than that of female students, and the model fit of male peer support was better than that of female students. Although the impact of peer support on PA was less than that of exercise self-efficacy and the direct effect of peer support was less than the indirect effect, the impact of peer support on the PA of female university students was higher than that of male university students. This study revealed the impact of exercise self-efficacy and peer support on university students' PA and suggested that exercise self-efficacy is the main path to promoting university students' PA, followed by peer support. Peer support could affect university students' PA not only through direct effects but also through indirect effects. This study also suggested that female university students' peer support has a higher impact on PA than male students. Therefore, when formulating physical exercise courses in the future, it is necessary to give more peer support to female university students to compensate for their low exercise self-efficacy.

Examining the Association between Sports Participation and Mental Health of Adolescents

Sports participation has been linked to various health outcomes; however, there is scant literature exploring this relationship in developing countries. We used a mixed method approach to examine the association between sports participation and mental health of Bangladeshi adolescents (n = 320; 13-17 years; 59% boys) and to explore sports preferences and barriers to sports participation across genders. A survey collected team and non-team sports participation, depression, and life satisfaction. Focus groups (16 boys, 16 girls) explored preferences for, and barriers to, sports participation. Regression analysis showed that higher team and non-team sports participation were associated with lower depressive symptoms in boys (β = -1.22, 95% CI:-2.55 to -0.10; β = -2.50, 95% CI:-3.83 to -1.16, respectively), while greater participation in team sports was associated with less depression in girls (β = -2.44, 95% CI:-4.63 to -0.24). Participation in team and non-team sports was positively associated with life satisfaction for boys and girls. Boys reported preferences for playing football and cricket, while girls favored skipping and running. Prolonged time on electronic devices was reported as barriers to sports participation in both genders. Furthermore, household chores, family restrictions, and unsafe environment were reported by girls. Participation in team sports may provide mental health benefits for both genders, while non-team sports may be more beneficial to boys than girls.