CHANGES IN THE HEALTH BEHAVIOR OF HUNGARIAN YOUTH BETWEEN 2010-2018 AND THE MODERN PATTERN OF PARENTAL HEALTH BEHAVIOR, FOCUS ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Abstract

The relationship between regular physical activity and health has been the subject of numerous epidemiological studies over the past decade. The recognition of the beneficial health effects of physical activity has justified placing increasing emphasis on the physical education of young people. The aim of this review study was to explore the trends in physical activity among Hungarian youth during the period from 2010 to 2018. In their document analysis, the authors used data from the 2010, 2014, and 2018 waves of the international Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization, to examine changes in physical activity. Based on national and international literature, the study analyzed research concerning the role of families, parents, and adults in shaping physical activity habits. According to WHO recommendations, in 2010, 17.3% of young people met the required level of physical activity; in 2014, this figure was 19%, and in 2018, it was 17.9%. In the 2010 study, among 11-year-old respondents, 22% of girls and 30% of boys achieved the recommended physical activity levels, while among 15-year-olds, the figures were 9% for girls and 21% for boys. In the 2014 study, 34% of 11-year-old boys and 24% of girls, and among 15-year-olds, 24% of boys and 11% of girls engaged in sufficient physical activity. The 2018 data showed that among 11-year-olds, 24% of girls and 31% of boys, and among 15-year-olds, 11% of girls and 18% of boys were sufficiently active. The relationship between physical activity and parental modeling is marked by the observation that children whose fathers engage in regular sports activities are also likely to be physically active at least once a week; this positive correlation is even more pronounced in the case of mothers. Over the study period, a general decline was observed in adherence to the WHO-recommended levels of physical activity. Compared to the 2010 data, girls showed some improvement, while a decreasing trend was noted among boys compared to 2014. A significant decline in physical activity levels was also evident with increasing age in both sexes. The HBSC surveys focusing on the health behavior of young people highlight insufficient and stagnant levels of physical activity. This underlines the need for effective interventions involving collaboration among various health promotion settings and professionals.