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Prevalence of Physical Activity among Adolescents from 105 Low, Middle, and High-Income Countries

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  • Adilson Marques

    (Centro Interdisciplinar de Estudo da Performance Humana, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, 1499-002 Lisboa, Portugal
    Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Duarte Henriques-Neto

    (Centro Interdisciplinar de Estudo da Performance Humana, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, 1499-002 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Miguel Peralta

    (Centro Interdisciplinar de Estudo da Performance Humana, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, 1499-002 Lisboa, Portugal
    Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • João Martins

    (Centro Interdisciplinar de Estudo da Performance Humana, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, 1499-002 Lisboa, Portugal
    Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
    Laboratório de Pedagogia, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana e UIDEF, Instituto de Educação, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-013 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Yolanda Demetriou

    (Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany)

  • Dorothea M. I. Schönbach

    (Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany)

  • Margarida Gaspar de Matos

    (Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
    Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, 1499-002 Lisboa, Portugal)

Abstract

Introduction: Physical activity (PA) is a beneficial health behaviour, however most adolescents worldwide are physically inactive. Updated information on the prevalence and trends of PA is important to inform national and international authorities and support countries’ public health policies and actions. This study aimed to present the worldwide, regional, and national prevalence of PA participation according to its frequency in adolescents. Methods: This study is based on cross-sectional surveys of adolescents’ populations from several countries and all regions worldwide. The sample comprised 520,533 adolescents (251,788 boys; 268,745 girls), from 105 countries and regions. Results: Most adolescents engaged in PA up to 3 days/week (57.1%; 95% CI: 56.9; 57.2). The prevalence of engaging in PA every day decreases over the age from 28.2% at age of 11–12 years (95% CI: 27.4; 29.0) to 21.2% at age of 16–17 years (95% CI: 20.3; 22.0) among boys; and from 19.4% (95% CI: 18.5; 20.2) to 11.1% (95% CI: 10.1; 12.0) among girls. For boys and girls who engaged in PA 5-6 days/week, the prevalence increases from countries with the lowest human development index to countries with the highest. Cambodia (7.3%, 95% CI: 3.8; 10.8), Philippines (7.7%, 95% CI: 5.6; 9.7), Sudan (8.8%, 95% CI: 4.7; 12.9), Timor-Leste (8.9%, 95% CI: 5.5; 12.3), and Afghanistan (10.1%, 95% CI: 6.1; 14.1) were the countries with the lowest prevalence of sufficient PA. Conclusions: National, regional, and worldwide data on the prevalence of physical activity in adolescents highlights the importance of improving the global levels of PA, especially in girls. Identifying the factors causing the age-related decrease in physical activity levels will permit public health entities to define priority actions and policies against physical inactivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Adilson Marques & Duarte Henriques-Neto & Miguel Peralta & João Martins & Yolanda Demetriou & Dorothea M. I. Schönbach & Margarida Gaspar de Matos, 2020. "Prevalence of Physical Activity among Adolescents from 105 Low, Middle, and High-Income Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-11, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:9:p:3145-:d:352571
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Adilson Marques & Yolanda Demetriou & Riki Tesler & Élvio R. Gouveia & Miguel Peralta & Margarida Gaspar de Matos, 2019. "Healthy Lifestyle in Children and Adolescents and Its Association with Subjective Health Complaints: Findings from 37 Countries and Regions from the HBSC Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-14, September.
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    1. Úna Kingston & Manolis Adamakis & Diarmuid Lester & João Costa, 2023. "A Scoping Review on Quality Physical Education Programmes and Their Outcomes on Primary-Level Pupils," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-14, February.
    2. Carla Santos & José Maia & Sara Pereira & Olga Vasconcelos & Rui Garganta & J. Timothy Lightfoot & Go Tani & Donald Hedeker & Peter T. Katzmarzyk & Alcibíades Bustamante, 2023. "Sibling Resemblance in Physical Activity Levels: The Peruvian Sibling Study on Growth and Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-9, February.
    3. Samuel Encarnação & Filipe Rodrigues & António Miguel Monteiro & Hatem Gouili & Soukaina Hattabi & Andrew Sortwell & Luís Branquinho & José Eduardo Teixeira & Ricardo Ferraz & Pedro Flores & Sandra Si, 2023. "Obesity Status and Physical Fitness Levels in Male and Female Portuguese Adolescents: A Two-Way Multivariate Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(12), pages 1-14, June.
    4. Miguel Peralta & Diana A. Santos & Duarte Henriques-Neto & Gerson Ferrari & Hugo Sarmento & Adilson Marques, 2020. "Promoting Health-Related Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Physical Education: The Role of Class Intensity and Habitual Physical Activity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-11, September.
    5. Louisa R. Peralta & Renata L. Cinelli & Wayne Cotton & Sarah Morris & Olivier Galy & Corinne Caillaud, 2022. "The Barriers to and Facilitators of Physical Activity and Sport for Oceania with Non-European, Non-Asian (ONENA) Ancestry Children and Adolescents: A Mixed Studies Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-26, September.
    6. Casey S. Hopkins & Chris Hopkins & Samantha Kanny & Amanda Watson, 2022. "A Systematic Review of Factors Associated with Sport Participation among Adolescent Females," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-16, March.
    7. João Martins & João Costa & Hugo Sarmento & Adilson Marques & Cláudio Farias & Marcos Onofre & Miguel González Valeiro, 2021. "Adolescents’ Perspectives on the Barriers and Facilitators of Physical Activity: An Updated Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-25, May.
    8. David Manzano-Sánchez & María Victoria Palop-Montoro & Milagros Arteaga-Checa & Alfonso Valero-Valenzuela, 2022. "Analysis of Adolescent Physical Activity Levels and Their Relationship with Body Image and Nutritional Habits," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-14, March.
    9. Adilson Marques & Thiago Santos & Élvio R. Gouveia & Yolanda Demetriou & Dorothea M. I. Schönbach & Gerson Ferrari & Dorota Kleszczewska & Anna Dzielska & Miguel Peralta, 2021. "Translation and Validation of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction in Active Commuting to and from School (BPNS-ACS) Scale in Young Portuguese Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-9, December.
    10. Xin Tian & Jian Fu & Jiaxue Tian & Yu Yang & Wenjie Liang & Wencui Fan & Renqing Zhao, 2021. "The Efficacy of Brief School-Based Exercise Programs in Improving Pubertal Bone Mass and Physical Fitness: A Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-13, September.
    11. João Martins & Adilson Marques & Élvio Rúbio Gouveia & Francisco Carvalho & Hugo Sarmento & Miguel González Valeiro, 2022. "Participation in Physical Education Classes and Health-Related Behaviours among Adolescents from 67 Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-16, January.

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