Association between health literacy and leisure time physical activity among Lithuanian adolescents

Recently, discussion of the potential of health literacy (HL) for health promotion has increased; however, clear evidence illuminating the relationship between adolescents' HL and their physical activity (PA) remains scarce. This study aimed to assess the association between adolescents' HL and leisure time PA. A representative cross-sectional study was conducted with 2,369 Lithuanian adolescents aged 13-16 years. A self-reported questionnaire gathered information regarding HL, leisure time PA, and other confounders (gender, age, family affluence and parents' exercise). Descriptive statistics and the probabilities of being physically active were estimated using logistic regression. The results revealed that almost 60% of the participants were not sufficiently physically active. Having moderate or high levels of HL was positively associated with leisure time PA. Additionally, being male, belonging to a more affluent family, and having a father who exercise were significant predictors of adolescents' leisure time PA. This study revealed that moderate and high HL positively related to leisure time PA among Lithuanian adolescents. The study results highlighted the importance of encouraging schoolchildren's PA and including HL promotion in a school curriculum.