High school student athletes: Associations between intensity of participation and health factors

Summary: This paper addresses and compares the impact of organized, more intensive sports partic-ipation with lower intensity participation among high school student-athletes. Subjects included 770 high school students who reported being active in organized school sports. Mental health, physical health, and coping skills were assessed as indicated by factor scores derived from theJuvenile Wellness and Health Survey (JWHS-76). Results indicate that compared to students who were less ac-tive, competitive sports participation was associated with fewer mental health problems, fewer total risks, and fewer eating and dietary problems for both girls and boys. These results provide initial support for the association between youth participation in competitive sports and mental health. Clin Pediatr. 2003;42:697-70