Physical activity of older children and adolescents in Germany - Results of the HBSC study 2022 and trends since 2009/10

Jens Bucksch; Juliane Möckel; Anne Kaman; Gorden Sudeck; HBSC Study Group Germany

doi:10.25646/11874

Physical activity of older children and adolescents in Germany - Results of the HBSC study 2022 and trends since 2009/10

J Health Monit. 2024 Mar 4;9(1):62-78. doi: 10.25646/11874. eCollection 2024 Mar.

Authors

Jens Bucksch^{1

2}, Juliane Möckel^{1

2}, Anne Kaman³, Gorden Sudeck^{4

5}; HBSC Study Group Germany

Affiliations

¹ Heidelberg University of Education, Faculty of Natural and Social Sciences, Department of Prevention and Health Promotion.
² Heidelberg University of Education, Heidelberg Centre for Prevention and Health Promotion.
³ University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Child Public Health Research Section.
⁴ Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Institute of Sports Science.
⁵ Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Interfaculty Research Institute for Sport and Physical Activity.

PMID: 38559682
PMCID: PMC10977466
DOI: 10.25646/11874

Abstract

Background: Physical activity is central to health, beginning in childhood and adolescence, and regular monitoring provides important information for strategic decisions on promoting physical activity in Germany.

Methods: The current survey cycle of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study gives an insight into the prevalence of the indicators daily recommended physical activity, high and low physical activity, and sporting activity among students aged between 11 and 15 for 2022. In addition, the data is compared to the survey cycles of the 2009/10, 2013/14, and 2017/18 school years and analysed over time.

Results: The results of the current survey cycle show that 10.8 % of girls, 20.9 % of boys, and 12.4 % of gender diverse adolescents fulfil the daily physical activity recommendation. There are also major gender-specific differences for the other indicators. The group of gender diverse adolescents needs to be analysed further. The changes over time between 2009/10 and 2022 are relatively small. While girls' physical activity habits decreased slightly for the various indicators between 2009/10 and 2022, boys' prevalence remained relatively stable over the same period.

Conclusions: Overall, in part due to the effects of the various COVID-19 lockdowns, the need for effective and population-based measures to promote physical activity in childhood and adolescence remains high.

Keywords: ADOLESCENTS; CHILDREN; GERMANY; HBSC; PHYSICAL ACTIVITY; PHYSICAL ACTIVITY RECOMMENDATION; PREVALENCE; SCHOOLS; SPORTING ACTIVITY; SURVEY.

Grants and funding

Only funds from the following institutions (in alphabetical order) were used to conduct the national HBSC study 2022: Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (Prof. Dr. Ludwig Bilz), Fulda University of Applied Sciences (Prof. Dr. Katharina Rathmann, Prof. Dr. Kevin Dadaczynski), Heidelberg University of Education (Prof. Dr. Jens Bucksch), Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (Dr. Irene Moor), Technical University of Munich (Prof. Dr. Matthias Richter), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (Prof. Dr. Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer), University of Tübingen (Prof. Dr. Gorden Sudeck). Partial funding was provided for the additional state samples in Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg (in Saxony-Anhalt by IKK gesund plus, in Brandenburg by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MBJS) and the Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Integration and for Consumer Protection (MSGIV) as well as AOK Nordost).