Can Sports Practice in Childhood and Adolescence Be Associated with Higher Intensities of Physical Activity in Adult Life? A Retrospective Study in Community-Dwelling Adults

Gabriela C. Silva, William R. Tebar, Italo R. Lemes, Jeffer E. Sasaki, Jorge Mota, Raphael M. Ritti-Dias, Luiz Carlos M. Vanderlei and Diego G. D. Christofaro ()
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Gabriela C. Silva: Department of Physical Education, School of Technology and Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Presidente Prudente 19060-900, Brazil
William R. Tebar: Department of Physical Education, School of Technology and Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Presidente Prudente 19060-900, Brazil
Italo R. Lemes: Department of Physiotherapy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
Jeffer E. Sasaki: Post-Graduate Program in Physical Education, Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM), Uberaba 38025-180, Brazil
Jorge Mota: Research Center on Physical Activity, Health and Leisure (CIAFEL), Faculty of Sport, Universidade do Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
Raphael M. Ritti-Dias: Post-Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Nove de Julho (Uninove), São Paulo 01525-000, Brazil
Luiz Carlos M. Vanderlei: Department of Physical Education, School of Technology and Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Presidente Prudente 19060-900, Brazil
Diego G. D. Christofaro: Department of Physical Education, School of Technology and Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Presidente Prudente 19060-900, Brazil

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 22, 1-9

Abstract: Introduction: Investigating the determinants of physical activity (PA) is an important strategy for the promotion of healthy lifestyles, mainly with PA of a moderate-to-vigorous intensity, which provides several health benefits in adulthood. In this sense, it is not clear whether early sports practice (ESP) during childhood and adolescence could be associated with the habitual practice of PA of higher intensities in adulthood. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the association of ESP in childhood and adolescence with different intensities of habitual PA in adulthood. Methods: A sample of 264 community-dwelling adults were randomly selected (42.2 ± 17.0 years, 57.5% of women). ESP during childhood and adolescence was evaluated using retrospective questions. Weekly minutes of PA were assessed using accelerometry and classified according to intensity as light, moderate, moderate-to-vigorous, vigorous and very vigorous. The association of ESP with a high level of PA (above median) in each intensity was analyzed using binary regression models. Results: The prevalence of ESP was 42.8% in childhood and 49.2% in adolescence. ESP in childhood was associated with a high level of very vigorous (OR: 2.48, p < 0.001) and vigorous PA (OR: 2.91, p < 0.001) in adulthood, but lost significance after adjustments by sex and age. ESP in adolescence was associated with a high level of very vigorous PA (OR: 1.99, p = 0.013) in the crude model and vigorous PA (OR: 2.21, p = 0.006), even after adjustments by age, sex and socioeconomic status. Conclusions: Engagement in sports practice during adolescence was associated with high levels of vigorous PA in adulthood and is an important period for healthy lifestyle promotion.

Keywords: physical activity; youth; motor behavior; public health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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