RESEARCH PAPER
TRENDS IN ADOLESCENT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN SOUTHERN
AND WESTERN BOHEMIA, 2014-2022
1
Faculty of Education, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, Czech Republic
2
Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
3
Institute of Sport Science, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland
Submission date: 2025-07-08
Final revision date: 2025-10-10
Acceptance date: 2025-11-12
Publication date: 2025-11-18
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background:
This study analyzed long-term trends and gender differences in adolescent physical activity (PA) in Southern and Western Bohemia, the Czech Republic, between 2014 and 2022.
Material and methods:
The study was conducted annually in 4 to 6 high schools. In total, 279 boys and 444 girls participated. Weekly PA was assessed using pedometers and Garmin Vivofit devices. In the analysis of weekly PA, a comparison was made between the number of steps taken on individual days of the week.
Results:
Girls showed significantly lower PA levels than boys on school days (F(1,709)=13.34, p<0.001, ηp²=0.018). Boys (12,431 steps) and girls (11,737 steps) had the highest average amount of steps/day on Friday. Significant year-to-year differences in PA were also observed (F(6,709)=6.83, p<0.001, ηp²=0.055). Only 54.1% of boys and 40.3% of girls met the recommended 11,000 steps per day (χ²=13.16, p<0.001, r=0.135).
Conclusions:
The findings raise concerns about the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent PA, particularly among girls. The observed weekly PA structure highlights the need to promote PA among both sexes, especially on Mondays and weekends.
This study analyzed long-term trends and gender differences in adolescent physical activity (PA) in Southern and Western Bohemia, the Czech Republic, between 2014 and 2022.
Material and methods:
The study was conducted annually in 4 to 6 high schools. In total, 279 boys and 444 girls participated. Weekly PA was assessed using pedometers and Garmin Vivofit devices. In the analysis of weekly PA, a comparison was made between the number of steps taken on individual days of the week.
Results:
Girls showed significantly lower PA levels than boys on school days (F(1,709)=13.34, p<0.001, ηp²=0.018). Boys (12,431 steps) and girls (11,737 steps) had the highest average amount of steps/day on Friday. Significant year-to-year differences in PA were also observed (F(6,709)=6.83, p<0.001, ηp²=0.055). Only 54.1% of boys and 40.3% of girls met the recommended 11,000 steps per day (χ²=13.16, p<0.001, r=0.135).
Conclusions:
The findings raise concerns about the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent PA, particularly among girls. The observed weekly PA structure highlights the need to promote PA among both sexes, especially on Mondays and weekends.
REFERENCES (33)
1.
Guthold R, Stevens GA, Riley LM, Bull FC. Global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents: a pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1·6 million participants. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2020; 4(1): 23-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-....
2.
Kantanista A, Tarnas J, Borowiec J, Elegańczyk-Kot H, Lubowiecki-Vikuk A, Marciniak M, et al. Physical activity of children and adolescents from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia: a systematic review. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2021; 28(3): 385-390. https://doi.org/10.26444/aaem/....
3.
López-Fernández J, López-Valenciano A, Mayo X, Liguori G, Lamb MA, Copeland RJ, et al. No changes in adolescent’s sedentary behaviour across Europe between 2002 and 2017. BMC Public Health. 2021; 21(1): 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889....
4.
Steene-Johannessen J, Hansen BH, Dalene KE, Kolle E, Northstone K, Møller NC, et al. Variations in accelerometry measured physical activity and sedentary time across Europe – harmonized analyses of 47,497 children and adolescents. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2020; 17(1): 38. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966....
5.
Groffik D, Frömel K, Ziemba M, Mitáš J. The association between participation in organized physical activity and the structure of weekly physical activity in Polish adolescents. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021; 18(4): 1408. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph....
6.
Fromel K, Kudlacek M, Groffik D. Tourism and physical activity preferences: Development and sustainability strategy. Sustainability. 2020; 12(21): 8824. https://doi.org/10.3390/su1221....
7.
Groffik D, Fromel K, Ziemba M, Mitas J. Trends in physical activity in adolescents participating and not participating in organized team or individual physical activity. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2023; 30(3): 536-542. https://doi.org/10.26444/aaem/....
8.
Mitáš J, Frömel K, Valach P, Suchomel A, Vorlíček M, Groffik D. Secular trends in the achievement of physical activity guidelines: indicator of sustainability of healthy lifestyle in Czech adolescents. Sustainability. 2020; 12(12): 5183. https://doi.org/10.3390/su1212....
9.
Frömel K, Mitáš J, Tudor-Locke C. Time trends of step-determined physical activity among adolescents with different activity levels in Czech Republic. J Phys Act Health. 2022; 19(9): 592-598. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2....
10.
Frömel K, Jakubec L, Groffik D, Chmelík F, Svozil Z, Šafář M. Physical activity of secondary school adolescents at risk of depressive symptoms. J Sch Health. 2020; 90(8): 641-650. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.1....
11.
Bláha L. Sedentary behavior in relation to selected indicators of movement and characteristics of children in the lower-secondary school. Phys Act Rev. 2023; 11(1): 88-98. https://doi.org/10.16926/par.2....
12.
Groffik D, Fromel K, Badura P. Composition of weekly physical activity in adolescents by level of physical activity. BMC Public Health. 2020; 20(1): 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889....
13.
Frömel K, Groffik D, Heidler J, Mitáš J, Pratt M. Recommendations for physical activity in segments of the school day support the increase in daily physical activity in adolescents. J Teach Phys Educ. 2024; 44(2): 354-365. https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.2....
14.
Neville RD, Lakes KD, Hopkins WG, Tarantino G, Draper CE, Beck R, et al. Global changes in child and adolescent physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2022; 176(9): 886-894. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamape....
15.
Wilke J, Rahlf AL, Füzéki E, Groneberg DA, Hespanhol L, Mai P, et al. Physical activity during lockdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis of 173 studies with 320,636 participants. Sports Med Open. 2022; 8(1): 125. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798....
16.
Frömel K, Groffik D, Mitáš J. Adolescents’ participation in school physical activity before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: An educational priority. Educ Sci. 2023; 13(3): 304. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsc....
17.
Kovacs VA, Starc G, Brandes M, Kaj M, Blagus R, Leskošek B, et al. Physical activity, screen time and the COVID-19 school closures in Europe – an observational study in 10 countries. Eur J Sport Sci. 2022; 22(7): 1094-1103. https://doi.org/10.1080/174613....
18.
Ludwig-Walz H, Siemens W, Heinisch S, Dannheim I, Loss J, Bujard M. How the COVID-19 pandemic and related school closures reduce physical activity among children and adolescents in the WHO European Region: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2023; 20(1): 149. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966....
19.
Jurak G, Morrison SA, Kovač M, Leskošek B, Sember V, Strel J, et al. A COVID-19 crisis in child physical fitness: creating a barometric tool of public health engagement for the Republic of Slovenia. Front Public Health. 2021; 9: 644235. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.....
20.
Varela RA, Hallal PC, Mejía Grueso J, Pedišić Ž, Salvo D, Nguyen A, et al. Status and trends of physical activity surveillance, policy, and research in 164 countries: findings from the global observatory for physical activity-GoPA! 2015 and 2020 surveys. J Phys Act Health. 2022; 20(2): 112-128. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2....
21.
Tremblay MS, Barnes JD, Demchenko I, Gonzalez SA, Brazo-Sayavera J, Kalinowski J, et al. Active healthy kids global alliance Global Matrix 4.0-a resource for physical activity researchers. J Phys Act Health. 2022; 19(11): 693-699. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2....
22.
Winstone NE, Hepper EG, Nash RA. Individual differences in self-reported use of assessment feedback: the mediating role of feedback beliefs. Educ Psychol. 2021; 41(7): 844-862. https://doi.org/10.1080/014434....
23.
Šimůnek A, Dygrýn J, Jakubec L, Neuls F, Frömel K, Welk GJ. Validity of Garmin Vívofit 1 and Garmin Vívofit 3 for school-based physical activity monitoring. Pediatr Exerc Sci. 2019; 31(1): 130-136. https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.20....
24.
Šimůnek A, Dygrýn J, Gába A, Jakubec L, Stelzer J, Chmelík F. Validity of Garmin Vivofit and Polar Loop for measuring daily step counts in free-living conditions in adults. Acta Gymnica. 2016; 46(3): 129-135. https://doi.org/10.5507/ag.201....
25.
Groffik D, Frömel K, Vorlíček M, Polechoński J. The trend and structure of adolescents’ weekly step count in the context of the Polish school environment. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2020; 27(3): 442-447. https://doi.org/10.26444/aaem/....
26.
Raustorp A, Fröberg A. Comparisons of pedometer-determined weekday physical activity among Swedish school children and adolescents in 2000 and 2017 showed the highest reductions in adolescents. Acta Paediatr. 2019; 108(7): 1303-1310. https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.14....
27.
Steene-Johannessen J, Anderssen SA, Kolle E, Hansen BH, Bratteteig M, Dalhaug EM, et al. Temporal trends in physical activity levels across more than a decade – a national physical activity surveillance system among Norwegian children and adolescents. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2021; 18: 55. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966....
28.
Yun J, Lee S. Differences in physical activity patterns among Korean adolescents during and after COVID-19. Healthcare (Basel). 2023; 11(11): 1611. https://doi.org/10.3390/health....
29.
Martinko A, Sorić M, Jurak G, Starc G. Physical fitness among children with diverse weight status during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-wide, cohort study based on the Slovenian physical fitness surveillance system (SLOfit). Lancet Reg Health Eur. 2023; 34: 100748. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lane....
30.
Desine S, Master H, Annis J, Hughes A, Roden DM, Harris PA, et al. Daily step counts before and after the COVID-19 pandemic among all of us research participants. JAMA Netw Open. 2023; 6(3): e233526. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamane....
31.
Chmelík F, Frömel K, Groffik D, Mitáš J. Physical activity and life satisfaction among adolescents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Acta Psychol (Amst). 2023; 241: 104081. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actp....
32.
Piepiora PA, Bagińska J, Piepiora ZN. Perspective on solving the problem of declining interest in physical activity in Poland. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 2024; 6: 1416154. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.....
33.
Aubert S, Brazo-Sayavera J, González SA, Janssen I, Manyanga T, Oyeyemi AL, et al. Global prevalence of physical activity for children and adolescents; inconsistencies, research gaps, and recommendations: a narrative review. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2021; 18(1): 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966....
| eISSN: | 2354-0265 |
| ISSN: | 2353-6942 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
