Accelerometer-measured physical activity: comparing young adult football players and non-athletic peers

TL;DR

Football players are more physically active than non-athletes, even outside of practice, but both groups lack enough vigorous activity.

Contribution

Demonstrates that football participation increases physical activity beyond practice and highlights a need for more vigorous activity.

Findings

Football players had 2,064% higher vigorous physical activity than non-athletes.

Even without practice, football players remained more active and spent less time in light activity.

Both groups failed to meet international vigorous activity recommendations.

Abstract

While physical inactivity represents a global health concern, the relationship between structured sports participation and overall physical activity patterns remains unclear. This study examined whether football practice enhances adherence to physical activity guidelines and influences lifestyle activity patterns beyond structured practice sessions. Twenty-seven participants [football players (EG) n = 16, age 23.4 ± 2.7 years; non-athletes (CG) n = 11, age 24.1 ± 3.2 years] wore accelerometers for seven consecutive days. Physical activity parameters including overall physical activity (OPA), physical inactivity (PI), light physical activity (LPA), moderate physical activity (MPA), vigorous physical activity (VPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were assessed using validated cut-points. Data were analyzed using multivariate GLM procedures, with separate analyses conducted including and excluding structured practice sessions. Both groups exceeded recommendations for MPA (EG: 449.3 ± 98.8 min/week, p < 0.001; CG: 414.6 ± 86.4 min/week, p = 0.002). However, neither group met VPA recommendations of ≥75 min/week (EG: 60.6 ± 20.5 min/week, 19.3% deficit; CG: 2.8 ± 3.6 min/week, 96.3% deficit). Football players demonstrated 2,064% higher VPA than non-athletes (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.761). Critically, even when practice sessions were excluded, EG maintained significantly higher VPA (13.6 vs. 2.8 min/week, p = 0.076) and overall activity levels compared to CG, while exhibiting 46.76% lower LPA (p = 0.001, η2 = 0.376). Structured football participation creates positive transfer effects extending beyond practice contexts, with athletes maintaining higher activity intensities during periods without practice. However, insufficient VPA across both populations highlights the need for targeted interventions to optimize physical activity profiles. These findings support sports participation as a public health strategy while emphasizing the importance of specific high-intensity activity promotion to meet international guidelines.