Abstract
Introduction: The World Health Organisation recommends that children and adolescents engage in at least 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day. Previous research has shown that physical activity is related to other constructs such as mental well-being and self-rated health. This study examined the inter-relatedness of these constructs in Northern Irish school children. Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of data gathered as part of a longitudinal study. Participants were n = 1791 adolescents in their final years of secondary (high) school (age range 15–18; female = 64.6%). Data were gathered on three occasions over a 2-year period on self-rated health, physical activity, mental well-being, heavy episodic drinking, lifetime smoking, psychological and somatic symptoms, as well as a range of socio-demographic measures. Results: Descriptive results showed extremely low levels of self-reported physical activity within the past week, with <6% of the sample attaining the WHO guidelines at each wave of data collection. There were significant gender differences on all variables assessed. Results further showed a small-sized relationship (statistically significant for girls only) between physical activity and mental well-being. There was also a small-sized relationship between physical activity and self-rated health. Notably, effect sizes for the relationship between self-rated health and both physical activity and mental well-being were higher. In terms of socio-demographic predictors of lower physical activity, being female, lifetime cigarette smoking, and higher somatic and psychological symptoms were all statistically significant factors. Conclusion: Self-rated health emerged as the most important predictor of physical activity among adolescents.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1-13 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Journal of Adolescence |
Volume | 95 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 15 Nov 2022 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published online - 15 Nov 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2022 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents.
Keywords
- physical activity
- self-rated health
- mental well-being
- secondary school age