Physical Activity Participation and the Environment in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatric Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Physical activity (PA) and sports are vital for youth health and well-being.
• Existing evidence on factors influencing children's PA is limited by inconsistent samples and measurements.
• Understanding correlates of non-organized PA is essential for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify promoting and inhibiting correlates of children's and adolescents' non-organized physical activity (PA) participation.
• To explore the complexity of PA engagement in relation to ecological factors.
• To address limitations in current research regarding study design, sampling, and measurement.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA-P guidelines.
• Comprehensive search of seven bibliographic databases for eligible articles published within the last 20 years.
• Inclusion criteria focus on quantitative PA measurement, child/adolescent populations, and ecological factors, excluding systematic reviews.

Main Results:

• The study will synthesize evidence on factors significantly impacting children's PA participation.
• Internal validity of included studies will be assessed using a validated quality instrument.
• Statistical analyses will be conducted using SPSS 27.0 and Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3.3.

Conclusions:

• This research will provide critical evidence on correlates of youth non-organized PA.
• Findings will highlight research design, sampling, and measurement limitations in the current literature.
• The study aims to inform future research and interventions promoting physical activity in young people.