Level of physical activity among boy adolescents in Quchan City: A cross-sectional study

Poster Presentation
Paper ID : 2064-SSRC
Authors
1Department of Sport Sciences, Atrak Institute of Higher Education, Quchan, Iran.
2Department of Exercise Physiology, Sport Sciences Research Institute, Tehran, Iran.
3Department of Health and Sport Medicine, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Background: Childhood and adolescence are considered an important stage of life because at this age the foundation of a person's life in adulthood is formed, the lifestyle and healthy and unhealthy behaviors are established at this age and can affect the health and behavior of a person. Regular physical activity and physical fitness are considered a powerful indicator for the health of young people and a vital part of a healthy lifestyle. Having a suitable level of recommended physical activity is effective in reducing non-communicable diseases and helps to improve academic performance.
Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate the level of physical activity in adolescents aged 12 to 15 years in the city of Quchan.
Methods: The study design was a cross-sectional survey conducted online among adolescents aged 12 years and older in Quchan City in April and May 2023. Subjects were selected by snowball sampling. Participants were invited to the study using the Shad app. The level of physical activity was self-reported based on the standard questionnaires of Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance and Global School-based Student Health Survey. Data were analyzed by using SPSS 22 software.
Results: In the present study, 223 adolescent boys participated. The results showed that 11.7% of participants had no daily physical activity, and 46.2% of them had at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity for less than three days a week. Only 19.3% of participants followed the World Health Organization's physical activity guidelines.
Conclusion: The findings show a high prevalence of physical inactivity. These results indicate that the rate of sedentary behavior in this age group is very high. Therefore, it is necessary to educate parents about the dangers of sedentary behavior, and it is emphasized to create a break in long-term sitting and replace active movement games with sitting and watching TV. Also, the implementation of WHO guidelines on improving physical activity can prevent the increase in the prevalence of inactivity at present and reduce the incidence of chronic diseases in the future.
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