Influence of Social Support and Residential Area Quality on the Physical Activity of Adolescents from the Republic of Kosovo

Abstract

<jats:p>This research was conducted on a sample of 399 respondents from Pristina. The aim was to determine if there were differences between the male and female respondents with different levels of physical activity with regard to social support from their parents and friends, the number of friends who take exercise, as well as the quality of their residential area. The sample was defined as one group and it was divided into two subsamples: 206 male respondents (schoolboys) and 193 female respondents (schoolgirls) aged from 11 to 14 (schoolchildren from the 6th to the 9th grade). They were selected from several schools in the city of Pristina. On the basis of the results obtained after applying the proper statistical methods, it was concluded that the male and female respondents, who were classified as “high active”, received greater social support from their friends and parents, had a greater number of exercising friends, perceived their residential area as a safe place for physical activity, and thought there were sports grounds and buildings where they could be physically active and engage in sports.</jats:p>