“Balance Is Better”: The Wellbeing Benefits of Participating in a Breadth of Sports across a Variety of Settings during Adolescence

Oliver W. A. Wilson, Chris Whatman, Simon Walters, Sierra Keung, Dion Enari, Alex Chiet, Sarah-Kate Millar, Lesley Ferkins, Erica Hinckson, Jeremy Hapeta, Michael Sam and Justin Richards
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Oliver W. A. Wilson: Te Hau Kori, Faculty of Health, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6012, New Zealand
Chris Whatman: School of Sport & Recreation, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Simon Walters: School of Sport & Recreation, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Sierra Keung: School of Sport & Recreation, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Dion Enari: School of Sport & Recreation, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Alex Chiet: Sport New Zealand, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Sarah-Kate Millar: Faculty of Health, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
Lesley Ferkins: School of Sport & Recreation, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Erica Hinckson: School of Sport & Recreation, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
Jeremy Hapeta: School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
Michael Sam: School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
Justin Richards: Te Hau Kori, Faculty of Health, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6012, New Zealand

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 14, 1-10

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine how wellbeing is associated with the setting in which sport participation takes place and the breadth of sport participation. Demographic characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity, deprivation, (dis)ability status), recreational physical activity, and wellbeing were assessed in cohorts of adolescents (11–17 years) between 2017 and 2019 in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Better wellbeing was associated with participation in any sport vs. none (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.30–1.90). Better wellbeing was also associated with participating in any coached sport training (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.33–1.66), competitive sport (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.18–1.49), social sport (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.18–1.49), and uncoached sport training (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.03–1.31) compared to non-participation in the given setting. Wellbeing was not associated with participation in physical education or solo sport. Participating in sport in three to five different settings (3 settings: OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.01–1.44; 4 settings: OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.09–1.62; 5 settings: OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.07–1.75) or sports (3 sports: OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.04–1.51; 4 sports: OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.06–1.61; 5 sports: OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.05–1.69) was associated with better wellbeing compared to participation in a single setting or sport, respectively. A balanced approach to participating across a variety of sport settings and sports that are facilitated by quality coaches may offer the largest additional wellbeing value.

Keywords: physical activity; sport; exercise; recreation; leisure; well-being; happiness; adolescents; young people; coach (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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