This study identified adolescents' patterns of active leisure participation over two years and five waves of data and how those patterns were related to substance use and sexual activity. Participants included 3581 primarily Colored (mixed race) South African adolescents. Latent class analysis was utilized to determine patterns of active leisure patterns and multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the relationships between the patterns and substance use and sexual activity. Four patterns were identified: Non-Participants; Early Participants; Late Participants; and Consistent Participants. Most males were Consistent Participants, whereas most females were Non-participants. Female Consistent Participants had the lowest odds of tobacco use, marijuana use, and sexual activity by the tenth grade relative to the other patterns, whereas Early Participants had the highest odds. In contrast, male Consistent Participants were at moderate risk of engaging in health risk behaviors relative to the other patterns. These findings suggest the need for a cautious approach to developing active leisure-based interventions, taking into account the contextual factors that may influence participation and health risk behaviors.
Keywords: South Africa; adolescence; physical activity; sexual activity; sport; substance use.