Leisure Activity Type and Sustainable Health Status in Late Adolescents

Abstract

The concept of sustainable health encompasses not solely the holistic physical welfare of individuals, but also their mental wellbeing and their harboring of optimistic outlooks for the future. Integral to this construct is the interplay between the individual and their environment. The primary objective of this study is to examine the association between sustainable health status and leisure activities among adolescents, particularly during the challenging transition period of late adolescence into adulthood. A total of 398 adolescents aged between 18-24 participated in the study. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were employed to investigate the associations among six distinct categories of leisure activities and three dependent variables (life satisfaction, optimism, and health perception). Upon controlling for covariates, the findings demonstrated significant positive associations between outdoor and social activities and all three outcome variables. Physical activities exhibited positive correlations with health perception and life satisfaction. Moreover, significant positive associations were found between life satisfaction and volunteer activities, optimism and cultural activities, as well as health perception and home-centered activities. These findings indicate that fostering positive social interactions within recreational contexts and promoting engagement in physical activities can be pivotal in fostering sustainable health outcomes among adolescents.