Understanding diversity of sport participation in adolescence and perceived variety and exercise behaviour in adulthood

Abstract

Participation in exercise declines from adolescence to adulthood, yet participation in a diversity of sports during adolescence may protect individuals from this decline. However, the mechanisms that explain the relationship between participation in a diversity of sports during adolescence and exercise behaviour in adulthood have not been identified. Perceptions of variety may help explain this relationship. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between diversity of sport participation in adolescence and exercise behaviour in adulthood, and the extent to which this relationship is explained by perceptions of variety in exercise. Using a cross-sectional design, a community sample of 112 adults (Mage = 37.39 years, SD = 11.10; nfemale = 87) recalled their sport participation throughout adolescence and completed measures of perceived variety in exercise and current exercise behaviour. The results showed that diversity of sport participation did not directly predict exercise behaviour in adulthood but did indirectly through the experience of variety in exercise (point estimate = 0.09, 95%CI = 0.03 – 0.18), after controlling for age and gender (Model R2 = .09). These findings support the notion that participation in a diversity of sports during adolescence is associated with exercise behaviour in adulthood, and the extent to which people feel like they experience variety in exercise may explain this relationship. Diversification of sport participation in adolescence may facilitate perceptions of variety and be one strategy for fostering exercise behaviour in adulthood.