Exploring paths to participation and non-participation in physical exercise among Swedish adolescents

TL;DR

This study explores why Swedish adolescents participate or don't participate in physical exercise, finding that multiple factors combine differently for girls and boys.

Contribution

The study is the first to combine cluster analysis with a configurational comparative method to identify paths to exercise participation or non-participation.

Findings

Not having quick access to pocket money is a standalone path to not exercising among girls.

Participation in adult-led activities differs between boys in the Not exercising and Sporting & Exercising clusters.

Having a disability is a significant factor for boys only when combined with other factors.

Abstract

Physical exercise (PE) is important for health. Girls are reported to participate less compared to boys. Multiple factors influence participation and non-participation, including neighborhood, socioeconomic status, social support, and disability. Factors may combine and form paths to participation or non-participation, yet these paths are unknown. To our knowledge, this is the first study to combine cluster analysis with a configurational comparative method to explore paths to participation and non-participation in PE among adolescents.

Data from 178 Swedish 15–18-year-olds revealed two exercise-related clusters: Not exercising and Sporting & Exercising. Girls and boys in these clusters were analyzed separately by coincidence analysis to identify paths leading to membership in each cluster. The initial analysis included 41 questions aggregated into 24 variables.

Not having quick access to pocket money is a path by itself to Not exercising among girls and part of the path to Sporting & Exercising. The paths to Not exercising are more complex for boys. Participation in adult-led activities differs between boys in the Not exercising and Sporting & Exercising clusters. Having a disability is only a difference-making factor among boys when combined with “not avoiding anyone in the neighborhood” and “sometimes meeting friends in person.”

Multiple distinct paths lead to Sporting & Exercising and Not exercising, and these differ between girls and boys. Paths to exercising and non-exercising can be multi-factorial in nature, where several factors must be jointly present to explain membership in a particular exercise-related cluster. Future research may wish to adopt a similar configurational approach to explore other high-priority activities in which adolescents do or do not participate to improve interventions and policies aimed at increasing adolescent participation in PE.

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