Participation in physical education classes and indicators of attitudes toward physical activity in adolescents

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze the association between the participation in physical education classes (PPEC) and attitudes towards physical activity (to enjoy physical activity and to prefer active leisure activities) in adolescents. This is a cross-sectional epidemiological study from a representative sample of adolescents (n = 4207, 14-19 years) high school students of public schools from Pernambuco. Data were collected using a previously validated questionnaire. It was found that among adolescents who reported PPEC the chance to enjoy physical activity was 73% higher in boys and 93% higher in girls compared to those who do not participate in the classes. The chance of to prefer active leisure activities was 97% and 72% higher in boys than in girls and PPEC, respectively. It was concluded that the PPEC is directly associated with the indicators that express attitudes of adolescents in relation to physical activity.