IMPORTANCE OF SPORT ACTIVITIES IN LEISURE TIME AND SCHOOL SETTINGS AMONG SWISS AND FOREIGN CHILDREN Results from a cross-sectional study in Central Switzerland

The aim of this study was to observe the importance of sport activities among 5 th grade pupils in the canton of Schwyz (located in Central Switzerland) and to identify possible differences between children of various nationalities. The cross-sectional study was carried out in 30 randomly selected classes during the school year 2015/2016. The sample (n = 468) consisted of 52.8 % boys and 47.2 % girls, aged 10.8+0.7 years old. Socio-demographic characteristics, interests and participation in sports were established using a standardized questionnaire. The majority of the observed primary school children (85.7%) participate regularly in sports. Approximately 5 hours of sports are practised on average per week; about 18 % are engaged in such activities for more than 7 hours. The percentage of fully sport-abstinent children is around 3.5 %. In accordance with other studies, the influence of immigration backgrounds seems to be mainly moderated by gender. While boys with foreign or Swiss origin are equally enthusiastic about sports, there is clearly a lower level of participation in sports in general and especially in sports clubs among girls who come from an immigrant background. Therefore, they should be considered one of the important target groups for exercise promotion programs.

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