Is physical activity and sport participation equal for all adolescents in Ireland?

Physical activity and sport participation is seen as a vehicle for social integration in a changing and rapidly advancing society. Physical activity and sport participation rates among immigrants are low, but less is known about how the rates differ by nationality groups. The aims of this study were to examine the levels of physical activity and sport participation through school and community sport activities by nationality groups and how they differ to Irish adolescents.

Secondary data analyses on the Children's Sport Participation and Physical Activity 2022 study were carried out, with disaggregation by eight nationality groups (Irish/Northern Irish, Eastern European, Western European, South Asian, East Asian, North American, African, and Other).

Extracurricular sports, community sports by type, school representation, and overall physical activity were measured. Logistic regression analyses were carried out with Irish adolescents as the reference category.

Of the 8881 adolescents, 14% were from non-Irish nationality groups. Lower levels of school and community sport participation were reported, particularly for Eastern European (school odds ratio = 0.6, confidence interval = 0.5-0.9; community odds ratio = 0.5, confidence interval = 0.4-0.7) and East Asian (school odds ratio = 0.5, confidence interval = 0.4-0.8; community odds ratio = 0.2, confidence interval = 0.2-0.4) nationality groups. Daily physical activity was also lower for non-Irish adolescents than their Irish peers.

With these findings, sporting authorities have a baseline of findings that can inform how well the current and future policies on diversity and inclusion have been on physical activity and sport participation of adolescents.