Dj. Aaron et al., PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY AND THE INITIATION OF HIGH-RISK HEALTH BEHAVIORS INADOLESCENTS, Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 27(12), 1995, pp. 1639-1645
The association of physical activity to the initiation of health risk
behaviors was examined in a 3-yr prospective study of a population-bas
ed cohort of 1245 adolescents aged 12-16 yr. Four hundred thirty-seven
students (36% of the cohort) were identified at baseline via self-rep
ort survey as never having smoked cigarettes, consumed alcohol, used m
arijuana, or carried a weapon. Three measures of physical activity wer
e obtained at baseline: leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), level o
f aerobic fitness (AF), and participation in competitive athletics. Si
gnificant associations, with notable gender differences, were observed
between physical activity and the initiation of cigarette smoking and
alcohol use. The cumulative proportion of male students initiating al
cohol use was 48%, 42%, and 24% for high, moderate, and low LTPA, resp
ectively (P < 0.01). Males who participated in competitive athletics w
ere significantly more likely than nonathletes to initiate alcohol use
(44% vs 17%, P < 0.01). The cumulative proportion of female students
initiating cigarette use was 10%, 23%, and 22% for high, moderate, and
low LTPA, respectively (P < 0.05) and 7%, 28%, and 16% for high, mode
rate, and low AF, respectively (P < 0.05). No association was found be
tween physical activity and weapon carrying. These results indicate th
at in this cohort of adolescents, the most active or most fit females
were less likely to initiate cigarette smoking. In contrast, the most
active males or males who participated in competitive athletics appear
ed more at-risk for initiating alcohol consumption than their less act
ive counterparts.