TY - JOUR

T1 - Cross-sectional associations between adolescents' physical literacy, sport and exercise participation, and wellbeing

AU - Melby, Paulina Sander

AU - Elsborg, Peter

AU - Bentsen, Peter

AU - Nielsen, Glen

N1 - Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2023 Melby, Elsborg, Bentsen and Nielsen.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Background: Adolescence is a significant period in one's development of positive emotional and social wellbeing. Physical literacy (PL) is considered a determinant of physical health and wellbeing and is thought to be the foundation for an individual's engagement in physical activities. Yet, limited evidence exists on PL's association with adolescents' health and physical activity behavior. This study aims to (1) explore the associations between Danish adolescents' PL and their emotional and social wellbeing, (2) examine whether these associations are mediated by sport and exercise participation (SEP), and (3) consider if the associations differ across sex. Methods: Cross-sectional data from a national population survey were collected in 2020. The sample consisted of 1,518 Danish adolescents aged 13–15 years. PL was assessed with the validated MyPL questionnaire. The weekly time engaged in sports and exercise was self-reported. Self-esteem, life satisfaction, body satisfaction, and loneliness were measured with items from the standardized HBSC questionnaire, and a wellbeing composite score was calculated from these four measures. We constructed structural equation models with PL and sports and exercise participation as independent variables and the five aspects of wellbeing as dependent variables. Results: Positive associations were observed between PL and SEP (β = 0.33, p < 0.001) and between PL and the five aspects of wellbeing with β-values between 0.19 and 0.30 (p < 0.001). These associations were greater among girls. The association between PL and four of the five wellbeing outcomes were partly mediated by SEP with indirect effects (β) between 0.03 and 0.05. Conclusions: Results from this study support the hypotheses that PL is important for children and adolescents' wellbeing and physical activity behavior.

AB - Background: Adolescence is a significant period in one's development of positive emotional and social wellbeing. Physical literacy (PL) is considered a determinant of physical health and wellbeing and is thought to be the foundation for an individual's engagement in physical activities. Yet, limited evidence exists on PL's association with adolescents' health and physical activity behavior. This study aims to (1) explore the associations between Danish adolescents' PL and their emotional and social wellbeing, (2) examine whether these associations are mediated by sport and exercise participation (SEP), and (3) consider if the associations differ across sex. Methods: Cross-sectional data from a national population survey were collected in 2020. The sample consisted of 1,518 Danish adolescents aged 13–15 years. PL was assessed with the validated MyPL questionnaire. The weekly time engaged in sports and exercise was self-reported. Self-esteem, life satisfaction, body satisfaction, and loneliness were measured with items from the standardized HBSC questionnaire, and a wellbeing composite score was calculated from these four measures. We constructed structural equation models with PL and sports and exercise participation as independent variables and the five aspects of wellbeing as dependent variables. Results: Positive associations were observed between PL and SEP (β = 0.33, p < 0.001) and between PL and the five aspects of wellbeing with β-values between 0.19 and 0.30 (p < 0.001). These associations were greater among girls. The association between PL and four of the five wellbeing outcomes were partly mediated by SEP with indirect effects (β) between 0.03 and 0.05. Conclusions: Results from this study support the hypotheses that PL is important for children and adolescents' wellbeing and physical activity behavior.

KW - Children

KW - Exercise participation

KW - Mental health

KW - Physical literacy

KW - Quality of life

KW - SEM

KW - Sport participation

KW - Youth

U2 - 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1054482

DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1054482

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36926143

AN - SCOPUS:85150158896

VL - 10

JO - Frontiers in Public Health

JF - Frontiers in Public Health

SN - 2296-2565

M1 - 1054482

ER -