A study of factors affecting the physical activity of youth: analysis of data from the 13th youth health behavior online survey in 2017

This study was intended to provide basic data to promote youth participation in physical activity by determining the factors that affect the physical activities of Korean youth. To achieve the purpose of this study, data obtained from the 13th Youth Health Behavior Online Survey in 2017 was used as raw data and data on 62,276 youths were analyzed by frequency analysis, chi-square test, and logistic regression analysis using IBM SPSS Statistics ver. 22.0. The results suggested gender (P<0.001), school grade (P<0.001), and residential type (P<0.001) in general characteristics; subjective health status (P<0.001), stress perception (P<0.001), and sleep satisfaction (P<0.001); and finally drinking experience (P<0.004), smoking experience (P<0.009), and skipping breakfast in the morning (P<0.009) as factors affecting Korean youth’s participation in physical activity. These results indicate that: male students participated in physical activities more than female students, and middle school students participated in physical activities more than high school students; students with a higher economic status and academic performance participated more in physical activities; and students with higher subjective health status, higher happiness, and higher sleep satisfaction, students who did not drink or smoke, and students who had breakfast participated more in physical activities.