Knowledge of Physical Activity Guidelines and Its Association with Meeting Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Recommendations in Adolescents
Abstract
Highlights
- •
- Adolescents show low knowledge of official physical activity recommendations, particularly regarding the recommended frequency, duration, and intensity.
- •
- Greater awareness of the guidelines is associated with higher physical activity levels and less sedentary behavior, regardless of sex.
- •
- Expanding the dissemination of official physical activity recommendations may foster healthier and more active lifestyle choices among adolescents.
- •
- Health promotion strategies should integrate physical activity guideline content into school and family environments, using accessible and contextually relevant approaches.
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Design and Location
2.2. Population and Sample
2.3. Study Variables
- (a)
- Frequency: “On how many days per week, at a minimum, should physical activity be practiced to achieve general health benefits?” with options ranging from one to seven days; the correct answer was “seven”.
- (b)
- Duration: “On the days when physical activity is practiced, how much time, at a minimum, should adolescents be physically active to stay healthy?” with seven options ranging from “15 min/day or more” to “105 min/day or more” in 15-min increments; the correct answer was “60 min/day or more”.
- (c)
- Intensity: “During physical activity sessions, what is the recommended intensity to maintain or improve health?” with four options: light, moderate, vigorous, and moderate to vigorous; the correct answer was “moderate to vigorous”.
- (d)
- Adolescents who correctly answered all three questions were categorized as “knowledgeable”, while those who missed one or more were categorized as “not knowledgeable”.
2.4. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
4. Discussion
4.1. Practical Implications and Recommendations
4.2. Limitations and Strengths
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
ICC | Intraclass correlation coefficients |
IPAQ | International Physical Activity Questionnaire |
MVPA | Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity |
PA | Physical activity |
WHO | World Health Organization |
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Variables | Total | Boys | Girls | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Age, mean (SD) | 16.1 (±0.9) | 16.2 (±0.5) | 16.1 (±0.4) | |
Skin color/race, n (%) | White | 218 (21.1) | 104 (20.0) | 114 (22.3) |
Black | 159 (15.4) | 101 (19.4) | 58 (11.4) | |
Brown | 555 (53.8) | 270 (51.8) | 285 (55.8) | |
Yellow | 38 (3.7) | 20 (3.8) | 18 (3.5) | |
Indigenous | 62 (6.0) | 26 (5.0) | 36 (7.0) | |
Monthly household income, n (%) | ≤2 minimum wages | 614 (59.5) | 278 (53.4) | 336 (65.8) |
3–5 minimum wages | 309 (29.9) | 170 (32.6) | 139 (27.2) | |
≥6 minimum wages | 109 (10.6) | 73 (14.0) | 36 (7.0) | |
Head of household, n (%) | Father | 438 (42.4) | 240 (46.1) | 198 (38.7) |
Mother | 594 (57.6) | 281 (53.9) | 313 (61.3) | |
Education level of head of household, n (%) | No formal education | 39 (3.8) | 21 (4.0) | 18 (3.5) |
Elementary education | 151 (14.6) | 64 (12.3) | 87 (17.0) | |
High school | 457 (44.3) | 231 (44.4) | 226 (44.2) | |
Higher education | 385 (37.3) | 205 (39.3) | 180 (35.2) | |
Physical activity, n (%) | ≥60 min/day | 418 (40.5) | 232 (44.5) | 186 (36.4) |
<60 min/day | 614 (59.5) | 289 (55.5) | 325 (63.6) | |
Sedentary behavior, n (%) | ≥3 h/day | 917 (88.9) | 433 (83.1) | 484 (94.7) |
<3 h/day | 115 (11.1) | 88 (16.9) | 27 (5.3) |
Variables | Crude | Adjusted * | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
OR (95% CI) | p-Value | OR (95% CI) | p-Value | ||
Boys | |||||
MVPA guidelines | ≥60 min/day | Ref. | <0.001 | Ref. | <0.001 |
<60 min/day | 14.87 (6.97–23.12) | 15.76 (7.14–24.48) | |||
Sedentary behavior | ≥3 h/day | Ref. | <0.001 | Ref. | <0.001 |
<3 h/day | 2.69 (1.54–4.55) | 2.00 (1.08–3.70) | |||
Girls | |||||
MVPA guidelines | ≥60 min/day | Ref. | <0.001 | Ref. | <0.001 |
<60 min/day | 9.51 (4.32–15.70) | 10.05 (4.43–16.67) | |||
Sedentary behavior | ≥3 h/day | Ref. | 0.01 | Ref. | 0.03 |
<3 h/day | 2.22 (1.45–3.45) | 3.13 (1.12–8.33) |
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Pinto, A.d.A.; Ribeiro, G.J.S.; Pelegrini, A. Knowledge of Physical Activity Guidelines and Its Association with Meeting Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Recommendations in Adolescents. Children 2025, 12, 1084. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12081084
Pinto AdA, Ribeiro GJS, Pelegrini A. Knowledge of Physical Activity Guidelines and Its Association with Meeting Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Recommendations in Adolescents. Children. 2025; 12(8):1084. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12081084
Chicago/Turabian StylePinto, André de Araújo, Guilherme José Silva Ribeiro, and Andreia Pelegrini. 2025. "Knowledge of Physical Activity Guidelines and Its Association with Meeting Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Recommendations in Adolescents" Children 12, no. 8: 1084. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12081084
APA StylePinto, A. d. A., Ribeiro, G. J. S., & Pelegrini, A. (2025). Knowledge of Physical Activity Guidelines and Its Association with Meeting Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Recommendations in Adolescents. Children, 12(8), 1084. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12081084