A recent study conducted at the University of Jyväskylä reveals that sports clubs have grown in popularity among children and adolescents since the 1980s. Girls now participate in sports clubs as much as boys do. However, participation in sports clubs is less common in rural areas, and rising costs are limiting opportunities for low-income families. The researcher suggests providing sports opportunities with a low barrier to entry, such as physical activities organised during and around the school day.
The professionalization of sports clubs and rising costs have reduced participation opportunities for low-income families.
A recent study by the University of Jyväskylä shows that participation in sports club activities among Finnish youth aged 8 to 19 has significantly increased from the 1980s to the 2020s, particularly among the youngest age groups.
“Families are investing more in children’s leisure-time physical activities, and this investment now begins at an earlier age,” says researcher Irinja Lounassalo from the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä. “While this can be beneficial for a child’s development, physical activity, and health, early specialization in a single sport may increase the risk of injury and lead to early dropout.”
Engaging in a wide variety of physical activities supports the development of children’s fundamental motor skills and predicts a physically active lifestyle in adulthood. Lounassalo emphasizes that in addition to sports clubs, everyday environments such as home yards, public outdoor recreational areas, and forests offer excellent opportunities for physical activity.
The number of girls in sports clubs is increasing
The study also found that the gender gap in sports club participation has narrowed in Finland: in the 1980s, boys were significantly more active in sports clubs than girls were, but by the 2020s, this difference had disappeared.
“This is a great development for gender equality,” Lounassalo notes.
However, socioeconomic and regional disparities remain significant. Family income and the family’s place of residence are associated with who participates in sports and how often. In the 2020s, the impact of family income is already visible among primary school-aged children, whereas in the 1980s, it became more apparent only among secondary school–aged youth and older.
“The professionalization of sports clubs and rising costs have reduced participation opportunities for low-income families,” Lounassalo explains.
Regional inequality has also increased. Youth living in sparsely populated areas participate in sports clubs less than those in urban areas do. For example, in sparsely populated regions, long distances and limited sports participation options restrict participation.
Flexible and Accessible Options Needed to Promote Physical Activity of Youth
The researchers highlight the need for targeted actions to support the recreational and sport opportunities of children from low-income families and sparsely populated areas. Increasing physical activity opportunities during and around the school day, improving school transport, closer cooperation between municipalities and sports clubs, free and diverse local recreational indoor and outdoor facilities, and low-threshold participation options such as multi-sport clubs could enhance accessibility to physical activity.
“According to earlier studies, many young people reported lack of time, motivation, lack of guidance and facilities as well as the high cost of participation as reasons for not being physically active,” says Lounassalo. “Offering more flexible sports options that involve less commitment and competition could encourage more children and young people to engage in physical activity.”
The study was published in the Journal of Public Health. It examined sports club participation across two generations: the 9- to 18-year-olds from the 1980s “Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns” study (N = 3,439) were compared to their 8- to 19-year-old offspring in 2018 to 2020 (N = 1,156). The study explored the prevalence of sports club participation in Finland and its associations with sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, family income, parental education level, and residential area.
The research was conducted in collaboration with the Universities of Jyväskylä, Turku, and Tampere, as well as Likes, Jamk.