The more physically active, the healthier? The relationship between physical activity and health-related quality of life in adolescents: the MoMo study.

BACKGROUND Little is known about the relationship between physical activity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adolescents. The purpose of this study was 1) to quantify the predictive power of greater physical activity on higher HRQOL in adolescents and 2) to analyze whether the prediction is better for the sports club setting than for the leisure time setting. METHODS Within the framework of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents and the "Motorik-Modul," 1828 German adolescents aged 11-17 years completed a questionnaire concerning the amount of weekly physical activity at school, in sports clubs, and during leisure time. The KINDL-R questionnaire was used to assess HRQOL. Linear and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the effects of physical activity on HRQOL. RESULTS In regression analyses controlling for sociostructural variables, greater general physical activity was a significant predictor of higher HRQOL (P < .001). While greater physical activity in sports clubs significantly predicted higher HRQOL, greater physical activity during leisure time predicted higher HRQOL only to a certain level. Overall, the level of explained variance was low. CONCLUSIONS Being physically active especially in sports clubs is positively linked to higher HRQOL of adolescents.