A study on the environmental characteristics and social support for physical activity among adolescents: implications for public health nursing

Objective To investigate the distribution patterns of physical activity levels, perceptions of physical activity and the social support environment among secondary school students; to examine the associations between students’ physical activity levels and factors at the individual, peer and parental levels; and to analyse the dynamic relationships between physical activity and the social support environment across different dimensions, such as gender, year group and school. Methods Using convenience sampling—a non-probability sampling method—we surveyed 841 high school students using the Adolescent Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Physical Activity Perception Questionnaire, and the Adolescent Physical Activity Social Support Scale. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS Statistics 26.0 to construct models via stepwise and hierarchical regression. Results (1) As many as 46.0% of high school students reported low levels of physical activity. The mean peer support score for boys (14.46 ± 4.18) was higher than that for girls (12.55 ± 3.89). No significant differences were found in peer support or parental support across grade levels ( p > 0.05). (2) There was no significant association between parental support and physical activity among secondary school students ( p > 0.05). With regard to gender, there was a significant positive association between peer support and both perceptions of physical activity and levels of physical activity among boys ( p < 0.01), whereas among girls, only the positive association with peer support was significant ( p < 0.01). Conclusion (1) High school students receive relatively little support from peers and parents; among them, boys receive more peer support than girls. (2) Peer support and perceptions of physical activity are significantly and positively associated with physical activity among secondary school students; this association exhibits different characteristics across gender groups, but no significant differences were found across year groups.