Sports as a pathway to wellness: sports and health-related quality of life among adolescents in Germany (a cross-sectional analysis from GeWIT Study)

TL;DR

This study finds that sports participation improves physical well-being in German adolescents, with team sports showing the strongest benefit.

Contribution

The first study to examine sports and health-related quality of life in Witten, Germany, highlighting distinct benefits of team and individual sports.

Findings

Sports participation is strongly linked to better physical well-being in adolescents.

Team sports show the highest improvement in physical well-being compared to individual sports.

Individual sports may slightly reduce perceived parent relations and autonomy.

Abstract

Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) comprises individuals’ perceived health status, including physical, psychological and social well-being. Investigating aspects that put adolescents at a good quality of life is important for designing public health efforts to promote their health. This study examined the associations between sports participation and HRQoL among adolescents in Witten, Germany.

This cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2021 to February 2022. Tenth-grade students from nine secondary schools in Witten, who were at least 15 years old, were included (n = 649). Data were collected using a self-report written questionnaire. Sports participation was defined as participation in any sports outside of school. Performance-based sport types, such as individual- and team-based sports were also explored. HRQoL (KIDSCREEN-27) was characterized as subjective perceptions of five multidimensional constructs: (1) physical and (2) psychological well-being, (3) parent relations and autonomy (4) social support and peers and (5) school environment. T-values across five dimensions were used to assess HRQoL, with higher values indicating better HRQoL. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Multiple linear regression between sport participation and HRQoL, as well as performance-based sport types and HRQoL adjusted for covariates, were performed. Analyses were adjusted for gender, age, Body Mass Index, subjective socio-economic status, migration background and frequency of physical activity.

Data from 561 participants were included in the analysis. Students who participated in sports showed better physical well-being than adolescents who where inactive in sports (difference (B) = 4.92 (p < 0.001)). Joining all types of sports was significantly associated with better physical well-being than being sport inactive, but individual- and team-based sports showed the highest increase (difference (B) individual-based sports = 3.52 (p < 0.001), difference (B) team-based sports = 6.14 (p < 0.001), difference (B) individual- and team-based sports altogether = 9.06 (p < 0.001)). Engaging in individual-based sports alone was associated with poorer parent relations and autonomy (difference (B) = -2.40, (p = 0.048)).

This is the first study to investigate the association between sports participation and HRQoL among adolescents in Witten, Germany. Engagement in sports was positively associated with physical well-being. Participations in individual and team sports outside school could be valuable for adolescents to improve physical activity.

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