Abstract Background:<\b>
Physical activity (PA) during adolescence can help prevent obesity and related diseases. While Israeli youth typically take part in less PA than other countries, Bronfenbrenner’s social-ecological model of family, school, and peer group influences on PA can have important implications for improving PA. However, there has not been research into how PA levels and the influence of Bronfenbrenner’s model on PA may vary by Israeli sector (Jew or Arab) and gender, which has implications for reducing inequalities. Objective: 1) To assess differences in Physical Activity (PA) measures among Jewish and Arab adolescents in Israel by gender 2) To analyse the relationship of Bronfenbrenner’s social-ecological model and PA measures by sector and gender among Israeli youth . Methods:<\b>
This study analyzed the 2014-15 HBSC-WHO cross-national survey conducted in Israel among 16,145 pupils in 708 classrooms from Jewish (72.6%) and Arab (27.4%) schools. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the association of family, peers & school on three PA measures for differing sectors by gender. Results:<\b>
There were marked differences in physical activity by sector and gender. Arab pupils were typically less active than Jewish pupils and girls less active than boys. Further, family, peer and school influences were found associated with PA but with variations by sector and gender. Conclusions: Differences in physical activity measures exist by sector and gender among Israeli Youth. an understanding of the varying influences of the socio-ecological model can help tailor interventions to improve PA among different groups and potentially reduce these inequalities.
