| Summary: | This study aimed to analyze the levels of physical activity of Portuguese adolescents. A total of 6997 Portuguese adolescents (3378 boys) attending the 6th, 8th and 10th years of schooling in mainland Portugal were enrolled in the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. Adolescents were asked about the practice of physical activity and their participation in sports. Boys reported practicing physical activity more often than girls, as well as younger adolescents (≤12 years) reported practicing more times than the older ones. Normal weight adolescents also reported practicing more often than those who were overweight or obese. Concerning sports activities, a significantly higher number of boys reported practicing compared to girls. Younger adolescents practice more sports activities than their older counterparts, and adolescents with normal weight did more than those who are overweight or obese. Considering the guidelines for physical activity, which recommend the practice of at least 60 minutes of physical activity with moderate to vigorous intensity daily, most Portuguese adolescents are not physically active. Portuguese adolescents are not physically active. Public health actions to effectively promote the practice of physical activity should be developed and implemented.
|
|---|