A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Sociodemographic determinants of youth sports club participation across two generations: the Young Finns Study



Authors: Lounassalo, Irinja; Kukko, Tuomas; Suominen, Tuuli; Palomäki, Sanna; Kaseva, Kaisa; Rovio, Suvi; Pahkala, Katja; Hirvensalo, Mirja; Yang, Xiaolin; Lehtimäki, Terho; Raitakari, Olli; Tammelin, Tuija; Salin, Kasper

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Publication year: 2025

Journal:  Journal of Public Health: From Theory to Practice

Journal name in source: Journal of Public Health

ISSN: 2198-1833

eISSN: 1613-2238

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-025-02500-6

Web address : https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10389-025-02500-6

Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/498955287


Abstract
Aim

Sports club participation (SCP) provides opportunities for physical activity, but not all youth have equal opportunities for it. This study examined the prevalence and disparities in SCP among Finnish youth across two generations (1980–1986 and 2018–2020), focusing on sociodemographic factors.

Subject and methods

The study examined the 9–18-year-olds (n = 3439) of the original Young Finns Study population in the 1980s (1980, 1983, and 1986) and their 8–19-year-old offspring (n = 1156) in the 2020s (2018–2020). Self-reported SCP and its correlates (sex, family income, parental educational attainment, urbanity of residential area, and geographical region) across the two generations were studied within four age groups (8–10-/11–13-/14–16-/17–19-year-olds).

Results

Youth SCP was more prevalent in the 2020s than in the 1980s (p < 0.001). In the 1980s, boys had higher SCP rates than girls (p < 0.001), while this sex difference was no longer observed in the 2020s. Family income was directly associated with SCP in 15–18-year-olds in the 1980s and 8–16-year-olds in the 2020s (p < 0.05). SCP several times a week was less common in rural than in urban areas in both generations (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

By the end of the study period, SCP prevalence had risen and sex differences in SCP had narrowed. However, youth from less affluent families or rural areas still showed lower SCP than those from affluent families or urban areas. Efforts are needed to address these disparities.


Downloadable publication

This is an electronic reprint of the original article.
This reprint may differ from the original in pagination and typographic detail. Please cite the original version.

Funding information in the publication: 
Open Access funding provided by University of Jyväskylä (JYU). The Young Finns Study has been fnancially supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture [Major grant 36/626/2020]; the Academy of Finland [grants 356405, 322098, 286284, 134309 (Eye), 126925, 121584, 124282, 129378 (Salve), 117797 (Gendi), and 141071 (Skidi)]; the Social Insurance Institution of Finland; Competitive State Research Financing of the Expert Responsibility area of Kuopio, Tampere and Turku University Hospitals (grant X51001); Juho Vainio Foundation; Paavo Nurmi Foundation; Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research; Finnish Cultural Foundation; the Sigrid Juselius Foundation; Tampere Tuberculosis Foundation; Emil Aaltonen Foundation; Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation; Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation; Diabetes Research Foundation of the Finnish Diabetes Association; EU Horizon 2020 (grant 755320 for TAXINOMISIS and grant 848146 for To Aition); European Research Council (grant 742927 for MULTIEPIGEN project); Tampere University Hospital Supporting Foundation; Finnish Society of Clinical Chemistry; the Cancer Foundation Finland; pBETTER4U_EU (Preventing obesity through Biologically and bEhaviorally Tailored inTERventions for you; project number: 101080117); CVDLink (EU grant no. 101137278), and the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation. KS was supported by the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation


Last updated on 2025-29-08 at 12:50