Teenage health: Study says teens will be fitter in later adolescence if they enjoy exercise between 14 and 17

Young teens who enjoy exercising — rather than being driven by competition, pressure or fear of judgement — will be significantly fitter, new WA-based research has confirmed. Findings from a long-running study that tracked more than 1000 14-17-year-olds found the attitudes that 14-year-olds hold towards exercise strongly predicts aerobic fitness three years later. In the study, led by Flinders University in collaboration with the University of Notre Dame, a standard laboratory cycling test was used on 17-year-olds to uncover how they felt about exercise and fitness. Testing found the key factors between ages 14 and 17 that made for fitter kids in their late teens — the consistent engagement in enjoyable physical activity, feeling healthy, keeping fit and spending time with friends. Conversely, teens were less fit if in that age bracket they felt pressure around winning or external rewards. In the research, which used data from WA’s long-running Raine Study, they were asked to indicate how important they thought exercise outcomes like enjoyment, health benefits and appearance were. Interestingly, improving appearance was the only outcome that increased in importance for boys and girls at age 17. And while boys had higher aerobic fitness at 17 when they were motivated by competition, winning and external rewards, it was enjoyment, feeling healthy, weight control and supportive social environments that made for fitter girls. “As teenagers get older, they become more aware of their bodies and how they are perceived by others, which is why appearance becomes more influential in later adolescence,” senior author Associate Professor Mandy Plumb said. Girls were also far less fit by 17 if they thought others would make fun of them for being physically active. “Fear of judgement can directly reduce participation in physical activity, leading to poorer long‑term fitness outcomes,” she said. “One‑size‑fits‑all approaches don’t work, particularly for girls during adolescence.” The study findings should serve as a wake up call for parents, schools, coaches and policymakers, the study argues. “What teenagers believe about physical activity at 14 continues to shape their fitness several years later,” Associate Professor Plumb said. “Reducing pressure, bullying and overly competitive environments could help more young people stay active throughout adolescence.” These critical findings underline the importance of understanding what actually motivates young people. “When adolescents see physical activity as enjoyable, social and good for their health, they are more likely to develop lasting fitness into later adolescence,” Associate Professor Plumb said. These findings can be applied across family, school and community settings to reverse a growing problem with declining physical activity levels in teens.