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

Dorota Groffik, Karel Frömel, Mateusz Ziemba and Josef Mitáš
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Dorota Groffik: Institute of Sport Sciences, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Mikolowska 72A, 40-065 Katowice, Poland
Karel Frömel: Institute of Sport Sciences, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Mikolowska 72A, 40-065 Katowice, Poland
Mateusz Ziemba: Institute of Sport Sciences, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Mikolowska 72A, 40-065 Katowice, Poland
Josef Mitáš: Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacký University Olomouc, Tr. Miru 117, 77111 Olomouc, Czech Republic

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-12

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: IPAQ-LF; physical activity structure; vigorous physical activity; gender differences; secondary school (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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