As much as 80 per cent of young people from the lowest social levels drop out of sport during adolescence.

"Two-thirds from the highest socio-economic class drop out, three-quarters from the middle class, while from the lowest class, four out of five drop out during adolescence," says Erik Grasaas at UiA.

The study is based on data from the Ungdata survey, in which schoolchildren across the country answer questions about how their well-being and what they do in their free time.

Girls benefit the most

Young people reap many benefits from being involved in organised physical activity.

"We see that those involved in sport are happier at school. They experience less stress, are less tired in class, feel more connected and feel they receive more support from their teachers," says Grasaas.

The research shows that sport is particularly important for girls.

"Girls who are involved in sport are significantly more satisfied with their lives compared to girls not involved in any activities. This applies to all 18 different sports in the survey," says the researcher.

For boys, the picture is more complex. Boys who do sports traditionally dominated by girls, like horseback riding, cheerleading and dance, actually report a lower quality of life than average.

The study shows that tennis and cross-country skiing have the highest social status among Norwegian adolescents.

But young people who do cross-country skiing particularly excel in other areas. They are generally the most physically active, they enjoy school the most and report the least aches and headaches. They also use fewer painkillers than others.

When it comes to the social status of sports, motorsport ranks the lowest. But this is not the whole picture.

"Boys doing motorsport were the most satisfied with their lives out of everyone surveyed. That's a good point to highlight," says Grasaas.

The researcher believes the findings show how important it is to make it affordable for everyone to participate in sports during childhood and adolescence.

"When we know there are so many benefits to participating in sports – physical, mental and social – it is important that we break down the barriers to participation. Everyone deserves this opportunity," says Grasaas.

For example, a 15-year-old must expect to pay NOK 11,700 annually to engage in cross-country skiing. This means many families cannot afford to have their children participate.

Only two out of ten young people meet the health authorities' recommendations for physical activity. Among girls, nine in ten are not active enough.

"No matter which sport they do, what's most important is that young people stay active. They need to find what they enjoy doing since moving and getting your heart pumping is key," says Grasaas.

Sources:

Life satisfaction across sports disciplines and sports categories among Norwegian adolescents: comparisons to national data

Socioeconomic status, sport participation, and school-related outcomes among Norwegian adolescents: a cross-sectional analysis