The effect of physical activity on healthy lifestyle, self-esteem and psychological well-being in late adolescents

OpenAlex İngilizce

AIM: The purpose of this research was to explore how consistent engagement in physical activity affects healthy lifestyle behaviors, self-worth, and psychological health among late adolescents. METHOD: This experimental study (randomized controlled trial) was conducted with late adolescents aged 18-21 who were enrolled at a university in Turkey. Volunteers who agreed to participate were listed and assigned identification numbers. Using a simple random sampling method, participants were randomly placed into either an intervention group or a control group. In this research, 84 students took part, 42 in each group. The intervention group received classroom-based education on physical activity and its associated benefits, followed by a 12-week physical activity program. SPSS version 26 was employed for data analysis, with statistical significance determined at the 0.05 threshold. RESULTS: Among participants in the intervention group, Body Mass Index (BMI) values showed a favorable change following the physical activity program. A meaningful statistical difference emerged in the post-test average scores of all study variables between the groups (p < 0.001). The findings indicated that consistent participation in physical activity among late adolescents led to improved healthy lifestyle behaviors and enhanced self-esteem (p < 0.001). Moreover, there was a significant positive association observed between physical activity and elevated psychological well-being levels (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results, it can be inferred that structured educational and intervention initiatives aimed at promoting physical activity contribute significantly to enhancing adolescents' healthy lifestyle habits, self-esteem, and psychological well-being.