The Impact of Scholastic Factors on Physical Activity Levels during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Prospective Study on Adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Scholastic factors (academic achievement) are hypothesized to be important determinants of health-related behaviors in adolescents, but there is a lack of knowledge on their influence on physical activity levels (PAL), especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic and the imposed lockdown. This study...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Children |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/8/10/877 |
| _version_ | 1827679804531408896 |
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| author | Damir Sekulic Daria Ostojic Andrew Decelis José Castro-Piñero Tatjana Jezdimirovic Patrik Drid Ljerka Ostojic Barbara Gilic |
| author_facet | Damir Sekulic Daria Ostojic Andrew Decelis José Castro-Piñero Tatjana Jezdimirovic Patrik Drid Ljerka Ostojic Barbara Gilic |
| author_sort | Damir Sekulic |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Scholastic factors (academic achievement) are hypothesized to be important determinants of health-related behaviors in adolescents, but there is a lack of knowledge on their influence on physical activity levels (PAL), especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic and the imposed lockdown. This study aimed to investigate the associations between scholastic factors and PAL before and during the pandemic lockdown. The participants were adolescents form Bosnia and Herzegovina (<i>n</i> = 525, 46% females), who were observed prospectively at the baseline (before the pandemic lockdown) and during the lockdown in 2020 (follow-up). The scholastic factors (grade point average, behavioral grade, school absences, unexcused absences) were evidenced at the baseline (predictors). The outcome (PAL) was evaluated using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents at the baseline and the follow-up. Gender, age, parental/familial conflict, and sport participation were observed as confounders. No significant influence of the predictors on PAL were evidenced at the baseline or at the follow-up. The scholastic variables were significantly associated with the changes of PAL which occurred due to pandemic lockdown, with a lower risk for negative changes in PAL among adolescents who were better in school (OR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.34–0.81, and OR = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.34–0.97, for the grade point average and behavioral grade, respectively). Students who do well in school are probably more aware of the health benefits of proper PAL, and therefore are devoted to the maintenance of their PAL even during the home-confinement of lockdown. Public health authorities should focus more on helping adolescents to understand the importance and benefits of proper PAL throughout the school system. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:38:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2870c4f57b754bac854f42f17991f614 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:38:18Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Children |
| spelling | doaj.art-2870c4f57b754bac854f42f17991f6142023-11-22T17:50:32ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672021-10-0181087710.3390/children8100877The Impact of Scholastic Factors on Physical Activity Levels during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Prospective Study on Adolescents from Bosnia and HerzegovinaDamir Sekulic0Daria Ostojic1Andrew Decelis2José Castro-Piñero3Tatjana Jezdimirovic4Patrik Drid5Ljerka Ostojic6Barbara Gilic7Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, 21000 Split, CroatiaSchool of Medicine, University of Mostar, 88000 Mostar, Bosnia and HerzegovinaFaculty of Education, Institute for Physical Education and Sport, University of Malta, MSD 2080 Msida, MaltaGALENO Research Group, Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Education Sciences, University of Cádiz, Avenida República Saharaui s/n, 11519 Puerto Real, SpainFaculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Novi Sad, 21102 Novi Sad, SerbiaFaculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Novi Sad, 21102 Novi Sad, SerbiaFaculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, 21000 Split, CroatiaFaculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, 21000 Split, CroatiaScholastic factors (academic achievement) are hypothesized to be important determinants of health-related behaviors in adolescents, but there is a lack of knowledge on their influence on physical activity levels (PAL), especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic and the imposed lockdown. This study aimed to investigate the associations between scholastic factors and PAL before and during the pandemic lockdown. The participants were adolescents form Bosnia and Herzegovina (<i>n</i> = 525, 46% females), who were observed prospectively at the baseline (before the pandemic lockdown) and during the lockdown in 2020 (follow-up). The scholastic factors (grade point average, behavioral grade, school absences, unexcused absences) were evidenced at the baseline (predictors). The outcome (PAL) was evaluated using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents at the baseline and the follow-up. Gender, age, parental/familial conflict, and sport participation were observed as confounders. No significant influence of the predictors on PAL were evidenced at the baseline or at the follow-up. The scholastic variables were significantly associated with the changes of PAL which occurred due to pandemic lockdown, with a lower risk for negative changes in PAL among adolescents who were better in school (OR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.34–0.81, and OR = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.34–0.97, for the grade point average and behavioral grade, respectively). Students who do well in school are probably more aware of the health benefits of proper PAL, and therefore are devoted to the maintenance of their PAL even during the home-confinement of lockdown. Public health authorities should focus more on helping adolescents to understand the importance and benefits of proper PAL throughout the school system.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/8/10/877physical activitypubertypandemichealth literacyacademic achievement |
| spellingShingle | Damir Sekulic Daria Ostojic Andrew Decelis José Castro-Piñero Tatjana Jezdimirovic Patrik Drid Ljerka Ostojic Barbara Gilic The Impact of Scholastic Factors on Physical Activity Levels during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Prospective Study on Adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina Children physical activity puberty pandemic health literacy academic achievement |
| title | The Impact of Scholastic Factors on Physical Activity Levels during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Prospective Study on Adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| title_full | The Impact of Scholastic Factors on Physical Activity Levels during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Prospective Study on Adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of Scholastic Factors on Physical Activity Levels during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Prospective Study on Adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of Scholastic Factors on Physical Activity Levels during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Prospective Study on Adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| title_short | The Impact of Scholastic Factors on Physical Activity Levels during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Prospective Study on Adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| title_sort | impact of scholastic factors on physical activity levels during the covid 19 lockdown a prospective study on adolescents from bosnia and herzegovina |
| topic | physical activity puberty pandemic health literacy academic achievement |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/8/10/877 |
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