Organized sport participation, physical activity, sleep and screen time in 16-year-old adolescents

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the association of different frequencies of organized sport participation (OSP) with physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, sleep, and screen time among adolescents. A cross-sectional study involving 315 16-year-old adolescents was conducted. OSP was self-reported, being categorized as 0 times a week, less than three times a week, 4–5 times a week, and 6–7 times a week, on average. Screen time was also self-reported but physical activity and sleep duration were objectively measured. Cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition were measured using a maximal cycle ergometer test and a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan, respectively. An analysis of covariance revealed a significant association between OSP and physical activity (F (3, 286) = 14.53, p < 0.01), cardiorespiratory fitness (F (3, 236) = 17.64, p < 0.01), screen time (F (3, 294) = 8.14, p < 0.01), body fat percentage (F (3, 292) = 11.84, p < 0.01), and fat free mass (F (3, 290) = 5.76, p < 0.01. No significant association was found between OSP and sleep duration. Post hoc analyses showed that OSP at least four times a week was beneficial to favorable physical activity levels, cardiorespiratory fitness, screen time, and body composition and may therefore serve as a valuable tool in battling unhealthy lifestyle behaviors among adolescents.