Are Sports-Related Factors Correlated to the Prevalence and Initiation of Illicit Drug Misuse in Adolescence? Prospective Study in Older Adolescents

Factors Influencing the Likelihood of Alcohol and Tobacco Use in Adolescent Athletes: Type of Sport, Age, and Action Tendencies in Sport

This article proposes a new approach to understand substance use among adolescent athletes. Thus, this article describes an investigation of the likelihood of alcohol and tobacco use in adolescent athletes considering the type of sport, age, gender, and their action tendencies. A total of 552 athletes with an age range of 12-16 years were engaged in medium-high-contact sports (n = 291) and non-contact sports (n = 261). They completed the Children's Action Tendency Scale, the Sport Children's Action Tendency Scale, and the Personal and Social Responsibility Questionnaire. The results showed that 16-year-old athletes were the most likely to drink alcohol and to smoke tobacco (p < 0.001). Likewise, it was found that practicing a medium-high-contact sport was a risk factor for alcohol and tobacco use (p < 0.01). The more aggressive athletes were more likely to have smoked tobacco during the last month (p = 0.019) and also to drink more alcohol that the less aggressive ones (p < 0.001). Finally, the athletes who showed more submissiveness were less likely to have drunk alcohol in the last year and the last month (p < 0.001). These findings show the predictive value of new factors associated with alcohol and tobacco use among adolescent athletes. Preventive measures should be targeted, since a new link between the action tendencies in sport and substance use has been found.

Analysis of the Relationship between Tobacco Smoking and Physical Activity in Adolescence: A Gender Specific Study

Background and Objective: Although smoking and the physical activity level (PAL) are important determinants of health status in adolescence, there is a lack of information on the relationship between smoking and PAL in early adolescence. The objective of this study was to evaluate the gender-specific relationship between smoking and PAL in 14-to-16-year-old adolescents. Materials and Methods: The sample included 650 adolescents (337 girls, 14.7 ± 0.5 years at first testing wave) from Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the first testing wave, participants were tested using structured questionnaires. Second testing was commenced after approximately 20 months (16.4 ± 0.6 years). The variables were age, gender, socioeconomic status, living environment, cigarette smoking (predictors), and PAL (criterion). Predictors were measured at the first wave, and criterion at the first-wave and second-wave. Results: For girls, smoking was negatively correlated to PAL at the first-wave (OR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.55-0.95) and at the second-wave (OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.71-0.96). No significant association between smoking and PAL was found for boys. Results suggest that adolescent boys and girls do not follow the equal trajectories when it comes to relationships between smoking and PAL. Conclusions: In developing promotional public health actions related to a decrease of smoking and increase of PAL, a gender-specific approach is highly recommended. Further studies analyzing the cause-effect relationship between consumption of other types of psychoactive substances and PAL in this age group are warranted.

Prospective Analysis of Levels and Correlates of Physical Activity during COVID-19 Pandemic and Imposed Rules of Social Distancing; Gender Specific Study among Adolescents from Southern Croatia

Background: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, global authorities have imposed rules of social distancing that directly influence overall physical activity in populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the trends of changes in physical-activity levels (PALs) in adolescents and factors that may be associated with PALs among the studied boys and girls. Methods: Participants in this prospective study comprised 388 adolescents (126 females; mean age: 16.4 ± 1.9 years) from southern Croatia who were tested at a baseline (before the imposed rules of social distancing) and at a follow-up measurement (three weeks after the initiation). Baseline testing included anthropometric variables, variables of fitness status (done at the beginning of the school year), and PALs. At the follow-up, participants were tested on PALs. PALs were evaluated over an online platform using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents. Results: A significant decrease of PALs was evidenced for the total sample (t-test = 3.46, p < 0.001), which was primarily influenced by a significant decrease of PALs in boys (t-test = 5.15, p < 0.001). The fitness status (jumping capacity, abdominal strength, aerobic endurance, and anaerobic endurance) was systematically positively correlated with PALs at the baseline and follow-up among boys and girls, with the most evident association between aerobic and anaerobic endurance capacities and PALs. Correlations between anthropometric and fitness variables with changes in physical activity (e.g., the difference between baseline and follow-up PALs) were negligible. Conclusions: Differences in PAL changes between genders were probably related to the fact that PALs among boys were mostly related to participation in organized sports. Correlations between baseline fitness status and PALs indicated the importance of overall physical literacy in preserving PALs in challenging circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic observed here.

Prospective Analysis of Prevalence, Trajectories of Change, and Correlates of Cannabis Misuse in Older Adolescents from Coastal Touristic Regions in Croatia

The prevalence of illicit drug misuse, including cannabis, in Croatian touristic regions is alarming. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of cannabis consumption (CC), to identify associations between sociodemographic and sport factors and CC, and to evaluate the predictors of CC initiation in adolescents residing in touristic regions. This study enrolled 644 adolescents from two touristic regions in Croatia (Split-Dalmatia and Dubrovnik-Neretva County) who were tested at baseline (16 years of age) and follow-up (18 years of age). The study instrument consisted of questions focused on predictors (age, gender (male, female), place of residence (urban or rural environment), familial social status, and different sport-related factors) and CC outcome. The results indicated a high prevalence of cannabis consumption (>30% of adolescents consumed cannabis), with a higher prevalence in males, and adolescents from rural communities. The prevalence of CC increased by 10% during the study period, with no significant differences between genders in trajectories of changes. Quitting sports was a risk factor for CC at baseline and follow-up. Better sport competitive results (odds ratio (OR): 0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.65–0.96) and familial social status (socioeconomic status: OR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.39–0.91; maternal education: OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.48–0.88) were associated with lower likelihood of CC at baseline. The adolescents who reported better sport competitive results were at increased risk for initiation of CC during the course of the study (OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.03–2.01). The protective effects of sports at baseline were most likely related to various factors that prevent the consumption of substances in youth athletes (i.e., commitment to results, adult supervision); with the end of active participation, adolescent athletes are at high risk for CC initiation.

Identifying Predictors of Changes in Physical Activity Level in Adolescence: A Prospective Analysis in Bosnia and Herzegovina

It is known that physical activity levels (PA levels) decline during adolescence, but there is a lack of knowledge on possible predictors of changes in PA levels in this period of life. This study aimed to prospectively investigate the relationship between sociodemographic and behavioral factors (predictors), PA levels and changes in PA levels in older adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The sample comprised 872 participants (404 females) tested at baseline (16 years of age) and at follow-up (18 years of age). Predictors were sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, socioeconomic status, urban/rural residence, paternal and maternal education level) and variables of substance misuse (consumption of cigarettes, alcohol and illicit drugs). The PA level, as measured by the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A), was observed as a criterion. Boys had higher PAQ-A scores than girls at baseline and follow-up. Paternal education levels were correlated with PAQ-A scores at baseline (Spearman’s R: 0.18, 0.15 and 0.14, p < 0.05, for the total sample, females and males, respectively) and at follow-up (Spearman’s R: 0.12, p < 0.01 for the total sample). Logistic regression, which was used to calculate changes in PA levels between baseline and follow-up as a binomial criterion (PA decline vs. PA incline), evidenced a higher likelihood of PA incline in adolescents whose mothers were more educated (OR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.05–1.60) and who live in urban communities (OR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.16–2.10). The consumption of illicit drugs at baseline was evidenced as a factor contributing to the lower likelihood of PA incline (OR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.14–0.92). The negative relationship between illicit drug consumption and PA decline could be a result of a large number of children who quit competitive sports in this period of life. In achieving appropriate PA-levels, special attention should be placed on children whose mothers are not highly educated, who live in rural communities, and who report the consumption of illicit drugs. The results highlighted the importance of studying correlates of PA levels and changes in PA levels during adolescence.