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Published on: March 7, 2019
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Physical Inactivity Levels of European Adolescents in 2002, 2005, 2013, and 2017
Jorge López-Fernández1,2, Alejandro López-Valenciano3, Gemma Pearce4
1Faculty of Sport Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|February 25, 2023
Summary
Physical inactivity remains high among European Union adolescents. Boys consistently show lower physical inactivity than girls, though the gap is narrowing. No significant overall reduction in inactivity was observed between 2002 and 2017.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Adolescent Health
- Physical Activity Research
Background:
- Physical inactivity (PIA) is a growing concern in the European Union (EU).
- Special Eurobarometer surveys provide data on sport and physical activity (PA) levels.
- Understanding PA trends in adolescents is crucial for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze physical inactivity (PIA) levels in European Union (EU) adolescents aged 15-17.
- To examine PIA trends across four time points: 2002, 2005, 2013, and 2017.
- To compare PIA levels between genders over these periods.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from Special Eurobarometer surveys conducted in 2002, 2005, 2013, and 2017.
- Defined 'Inactive' as performing less than 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous PA daily.
- Employed chi-squared tests for year-to-year comparisons and Z-score tests for gender differences in PIA.
Main Results:
- PIA levels were consistently higher for girls (76.8%) than boys (67.2%) across all survey years.
- A decrease in PIA was observed in 2005, and an increase in 2013 for the whole sample and boys.
- The gender gap in PIA descriptively decreased from 18.4% to 11.8% over time, but remained significant (p ≤ 0.003).
Conclusions:
- No significant overall reduction in adolescent physical inactivity was found between 2002 and 2017 in the EU.
- Girls consistently reported higher levels of physical inactivity compared to boys.
- Targeted interventions may be needed to address gender-specific physical inactivity trends in adolescents.
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