How physical activity interplays with life satisfaction among adolescents?

Abstract

Background: Worldwide more than 80% of schoolchildren and adolescents fall short of the physical activity (PA) requirements set by World Health Organization (WHO). Specifically, between 11 and 15 years daily PA dropped among boys from 30 to 21%, among girls from 21 to 11% (Inchley et al. 2016). Objective: We analysed how the PA is associated with life satisfaction among adolescent girls and boys. Methods: Data were collected in April-June 2018 during the international HBSC survey in Lithuania (n = 4191, aged 13.9 ± 1.69 years). From self-report questionnaire, the indicators reflecting PA, life satisfaction, body image, somatic complaints, wellbeing, demographic, and socioeconomic status were analysed. Bivariate analysis used Chi-squared test, multivariate associations-logistic regression method. Results: Moderate-to-vigorous PA was sufficient among 18% of schoolchildren, while 66% of respondents met vigorous PA requirements. For boys vigorous PA can be regarded as the predictor of better life satisfaction (OR = 1.63, p < 0.05), while for girls the moderate-to-vigorous PA is observed as a risk factor for lower life satisfaction at borderline significance (OR = 0.67, p = 0.053). Conclusions: The found relationships of biological, psychological and socioeconomic factors with gender as a specific effect modifier indicate that PA intensity differently effect adolescents’ life satisfaction. In both genders, the perception of wellbeing strongly affects the potential influence of PA on life satisfaction. Schools, parents, and policy makers should enable the adolescents with more opportunities and equipment for vigorous rather than moderate-to-vigorous PA.