Sport activity in adolescence: associations with health perceptions and experimental behaviours

Despite the relevance of this research topic from a public health perspecti ve, there is currently a lack of objective data on European adolescents' sp ort activity, notably the associations between their sport habits and their health attitudes and behaviours, which may have important consequences bot h in terms of somatic (cardiovascular) health and mental health. The object ive of the present study was to determine the direction and strength of the associations between the frequency of sport and health variables; in parti cular, perceptions of health, self image, substance use and experimental be haviours. Data were collected as part of the 1993 Swiss Multicentric Adoles cent Survey on Health. In this survey, anonymous self-administered question naires were distributed to a national representative sample of 10000 in-sch ool adolescents (15-20 years of age). Univariate analyses explored the rela tionships between the level of sport activity and health variables; then lo gistic regression analyses examined the strength of these relationships. Ac cording to the results, half of the sample do sports more than twice a week , boys more often as part of a sports club. Differences between non-athleti c and athletic adolescents describe the latter as having less somatic compl aints, more confidence in their future health, a better body image, a lesse r tendency to attempt suicide, a higher frequency of use of the car seat be lt, and a lower use of tobacco, wine and marijuana. Links between the frequ ency of sport activity and the locus of control related to health, general satisfaction with life or sexual behaviours are less strong. It must be not iced that the cross-sectional data collection precludes the establishment o f a causal relationship between exercise and health behaviours. However, th e existing links underline the coexistence of positive health characteristi cs and sport activity, suggesting that an incitement to get involved in phy sical activity may be a necessary component of a comprehensive prevention a pproach among adolescents.