Peer-reviewed article
Physical activity practice and sports preferences in a group of Spanish schoolchildren depending on sex and parental care: a gender perspective
África Peral‐Suárez, Esther Cuadrado‐Soto, José Miguel Perea, Beatriz Navia, Ana María López-Sobaler et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined physical activity levels and sports preferences among 364 Spanish schoolchildren, comparing girls and boys and looking at the role of parental care. Girls engaged in significantly less physical activity and moderate-to-vigorous activity than boys, and preferred individual sports like dancing and gymnastics, while boys preferred team contact sports like football. Children whose fathers were primarily responsible for their care were more physically active than those with other parental arrangements.
Key points
- Girls spent significantly less time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity than boys (0.74 vs 0.90 hours per day)
- Girls preferred individual sports with artistic elements (dancing, rhythmic gymnastics, skating, water sports)
- Boys preferred team contact sports (football, wrestling, handball, racket sports)
- Children cared for by fathers had nearly twice the odds of practicing physical activity compared to other parental care arrangements
- Physical activity levels and intensity differed significantly by sex, with implications for health equity in childhood
Limitations
This is a cross-sectional study, so it cannot establish causation or explain why girls are less active or why paternal care is associated with higher activity. The study does not explore the mechanisms behind these differences or identify whether the patterns persist over time.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Physical activity plays an important role in the maintenance of health, and it is especially important during childhood. However, the lack of information about differences in physical activity practice and sports preferences of children considering gender differences can result in non-effective policies that enhance inequalities between sexes. The aim of this study is to identify the sports preferences of Spanish schoolchildren and their physical activity practice behaviors depending on their sex and their parental care, analyzing the possible differences from a gender perspective. METHOD: Three hundred sixty-four Spanish schoolchildren (179 girls, 185 boys) participated in this cross-sectional study. A daily physical activity questionnaire was used to evaluate physical activity level (PAL), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sports preferences and a socio-health questionnaire were used to collect data about parental care. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and applying Student's T-test for normal variables, Mann-Whitney U-test for non-parametrical variables, and chi-square (χ2) test for categorical variables. Subsequently, odds ratios were used to analyze associations between the physical activity practice of the children and parental care. RESULTS: PAL and time spent in MVPA was significantly lower for girls compared to boys (1.44 ± 0.07 vs. 1.46 ± 0.07, p < 0.001 and 0.74 ± 0.40 h/day vs. 0.90 ± 0.45 h/day; p < 0.001, respectively). Dancing, rhythmic gymnastics, skating, and water sports were practiced more by girls, while football, wrestling sports, handball, and racket sports were practiced more by boys (p < 0.05). Children cared for by their fathers had higher odds for physical activity practice (OR = 1.995 (1.202-3.310), p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Physical activity among girls was less frequent and less intense. Girls opted for individual sports with artistic connotations, while boys often practiced more team contact sports. Furthermore, children are more physically actives when their father is in charge of them.