A School-Level Examination of the Association between Programs and Policies and Physical Activity Outcomes among Females from the COMPASS Study

Abstract

(1) The majority of Canadian youth are not meeting physical activity guidelines, and more female than male youth are falling short of these recommendations. School programs and policies are a viable strategy to improve youth physical activity. However, they may differentially affect female and male activity. This study aimed to examine school-level differences in physical activity outcomes among male and female students and to explore how school programs and policies associate with school-level physical activity outcomes among females. (2) This study used data from 136 schools participating in year 7 (Y7 2018–2019) of the COMPASS study. Data on school programs and policies and on student physical activity were collected. School-level means and percentages for outcomes were calculated and compared between males and females and the impact of physical activity programs and policies on female physical activity outcomes were examined. (3) More males met the guidelines, achieved more strength training days and physical activity minutes compared to females. The number of female varsity sports, community partnerships and fitness ambassadors were all positively and significantly associated with female physical activity. (4) Supportive physical activity environments fostered by offering varsity sports, establishing community partnerships and positive role models may promote physical activity among female youth.

The impact of 12 modifiable lifestyle behaviours on depressive and anxiety symptoms in middle adolescence: prospective analyses of the Canadian longitudinal COMPASS study

“…Response rates in 2017/18 and 2018/19 were 81.8% and 84.2%, respectively, with non-response being mainly due to absenteeism or scheduled spare time during data collection. [ 23 ].…”

Physical Activity Engagement Across Human Life Cycles: A Scoping Review

“…The differences between the level of engagement of males and females were reported across 7 studies. It was indicated that females were falling short to meet the guidelines in physical activity, and they were more problematic in experiencing barriers to physical activity, increase in school works was negatively associated with their physical activity (Burns et al, 2021), and a steep decline in physical activity during adolescence (Lau et al, 2019), lean body mass significantly decreasing in female (Oshita & Myotsuzono, 2021). Females also tend to experience more injury compared to males (Post et al, 2020).…”

“…Females also tend to experience more injury compared to males (Post et al, 2020). Meanwhile, males accrued greater physical activity minutes and strength training days (Burns et al, 2021), and were more physically active (Chen et al, 2021). Contrarily, females' enjoyment in physical activity is positively associated, with motivation to participate if they have ambassadors (Burns et al, 2021), higher adoption of health prevention behaviors (Kim et al, 2020), and youth sports participation could be more important among females (Kwon et al, 2021).…”

“…Generational contrast. The majority of youths were found to be unable to meet the physical activity guidelines, and this decreases over time (Burns et al, 2021), frequent participation in play rather than social activities (Hsu et al, 2021), and team sports participation of youths have a positive impact to them (Shepherd et al, 2021). Meanwhile, sports participation peaked in late adolescence but decreased throughout adulthood (Lau et al, 2019;Lee et al, 2022), they also do not reach the recommended level of physical activity (Atakan et al, 2019), due to physiological alterations (Easterlin et al, 2019), limits occurred during adulthood (Hsu et al, 2021), and structural constraints (Kim et al, 2020).…”

“…Psychosocial benefits. Six studies ( 6) improve psychosocial health (Hsu et al, 2021), quality of life (Anaby et al, 2020), social connectedness (Burns et al, 2021;Shepherd et al, 2021), promote characteristics of resiliency and improve social support (Easterlin et al, 2019), social function (Hsu et al, 2021), and attributable to social nature (Hsu et al, 2021).…”