Citation

Parker KE, Salmon J, Brown HL, Villanueva K, Timperio A. J. Sci. Med. Sport 2019; 22(3): 319-323.

Affiliation

Deakin University, GEELONG, Australia, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Sports Medicine Australia, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jsams.2018.08.015

PMID

30190099

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To identify typologies of activity-related behaviours and demographic characteristics of these typologies among Australian adolescents.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of 473 Secondary School students (41.4% boys, mean age 14.95±1.61 years) conducted in 2014-15.

METHODS: Active travel to school, sport participation, leisure-time sedentary and demographic variables were self-reported in a survey. Duration of sedentary time and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (mins/day) were accelerometer-derived. Latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted to identify typologies of activity-related health behaviours. One-way ANOVAs and chi-square tests were used to explore differences by demographic characteristics.

RESULTS: Three typologies were identified: (1) "Physically inactive, highly sedentary" (44%); (2) "Moderately active, high screen-time" (42%); and (3) "Highly active, low sedentary" (14%). Differences between typologies were evident for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), cultural identity, employment status and socioeconomic position (SEP). Those in typology 3 (optimal behaviour pattern) tended to be younger, of higher SEP and lower BMI.

CONCLUSIONS: This study found that older adolescents have less active, more sedentary profiles than younger adolescents. The findings support the need for targeted interventions to improve adolescent activity-related behaviour engagement.

Copyright © 2018 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Adolescents; Clustering; Demographics; Latent class analysis; Physical activity; Sedentary behaviour