Adolescent physical activity and smoking: A moderated-mediation analysis of gender differences via sport competence beliefs and depressive symptoms Free

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Research supports an inverse relationship between physical activity and smoking in adolescents. It is unclear though, why physical activity affects adolescent smoking, and whether there are gender differences in the effects. We sought to answer these questions in a two wave study with a two group structural equation model (SEM) proposing the effects of physical activity (PA) and team sport participation (being on an official high school team roster) on adolescent smoking are indirect via the effects of PA and team sport on sport competence beliefs (SCB), SCB on depression symptoms, and depression symptoms on smoking. We also proposed the effects would be stronger for males than females.
 >Participants were 384 adolescents (55% male, 96% Caucasian) aged 15-18 at baseline, from a suburban South Eastern Pennsylvania high school, taking part in a two year cohort study (N=406) of the relationship between health habits and smoking. The analysis in this study included data from both waves.
 >The two group SEM fit the data well, Chi square (df=27, N_male=212,N_female=172) = 28.53, p=.38, CFI=1.00, RMSEA=.02, WRMR=.76. There were no significant direct effects for PA or team sport on smoking. However, results supported a significant indirect effect; team roster membership had a significant negative indirect effect on smoking via sport competence beliefs and depression symptoms, but only for boys (β _indirect = -.05, z = -2.12, p = .03, 95% CI = -.104, -.004).
 >Consistent with previous research, the findings of this study suggest that team sport participation may provide the greatest protection against adolescent smoking. However, the effects may depend upon gender, team sport participation being most beneficial for males. Also consistent with past research, these results suggest the importance of the subjective interpretation of team sport participation, and depression symptoms, in the relationship between adolescent activity involvement and smoking. They also suggest the need for research on what features of the team sport environment protect against smoking in adolescence.
 >This study was supported by a grant from the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation CRPF (DR)