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Physical activity change during adolescence: a systematic review and a pooled analysis
Samuel C Dumith1, Denise P Gigante, Marlos R Domingues
1Post-Graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil. scdumith@yahoo.com.br
International Journal of Epidemiology
|January 20, 2011
Summary
Physical activity (PA) consistently declines during adolescence, with a yearly average decrease of 7.0%. This trend shows gender differences, with girls experiencing greater declines in recent studies and younger ages, while boys show declines at older ages.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Adolescent Health
- Exercise Science
Background:
- Physical activity (PA) is presumed to decrease during adolescence, but quantitative data and pooled interpretations are lacking.
- Existing literature lacks comprehensive analysis of PA changes throughout adolescence and associated demographic variations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and quantify changes in physical activity levels during adolescence.
- To explore gender and age differences in the decline of physical activity.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of longitudinal studies with at least two PA measures during adolescence (ages 10-19).
- Data extraction included study characteristics, participant demographics, PA measurement details, and statistical significance.
- Searches were conducted in Medline/PubMed and Web of Science databases.
Main Results:
- 26 studies confirmed a decline in PA levels during adolescence, with a mean annual decrease of -7.0% (95% CI: -8.8 to -5.2).
- PA decline was significant across most analyzed subgroups.
- Gender differences emerged: earlier studies showed higher decline in boys, recent studies show greater decline in girls. Age-related differences also noted: girls declined more at younger ages (9-12), boys at older ages (13-16).
Conclusions:
- A consistent decline in physical activity during adolescence is evident in the literature.
- Observed gender differences in PA decline warrant further investigation.
- Interventions aimed at mitigating PA decline in adolescents may be considered effective even without increasing overall PA levels.
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