Adolescent physical activity and sedentary behavior: Patterning and long-term maintenance Original Research Article

Background Little is known about physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior patterning or its impact on long-term PA sustainability, particularly during the critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. Methods Nationally representative self-reported data were collected (National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health: Wave I, 1994–1995; Wave II, 1996; Wave III, 2001–2002). Cluster analyses identified homogeneous groups of adolescents with similar PA and sedentary behaviors. Logistic regression predicted odds of meeting national activity recommendations in adolescence and young adulthood. Results Seven clusters were characterized as follows: C1, high television (TV)/video, video gaming; C2, high skating, video gaming; C3, high sports participation with parents, high overall sports participation; C4, use of neighborhood recreation centers, high sports participation; C5, TV viewing limited by parents, moderate participation in school physical education (PE); C6, low parental TV control, reporting few activities overall; C7, active in school (team/individual sports, academic clubs, and PE). Odds of adolescents meeting PA recommendations were highest in C2 (odds ratio=13.1), C3 (5.8), C4 (4.2), and C7 (4.3) compared to C1. Independent of adolescent PA, absolute odds of meeting recommendations as young adults declined but were still relatively high in these clusters, indicating greater long-term PA sustainability. By young adulthood, however, overall PA declined dramatically in skaters/gamers (C2) and was notably low among those with TV viewing limited by parents (C5). Conclusions While odds of meeting PA guidelines in adulthood declined in all clusters, the magnitude of this decline varied by cluster (declining most dramatically in skaters/gamers), providing insights into where to target effective intervention strategies that promote sustainable PA behaviors.