Sport participation, risk taking, and health risk behaviors

Adolesc Med. 2000 Feb;11(1):141-55.

Abstract

Adolescents participate in sports for a variety of reasons. Some seem to enjoy participating in what some might consider very-high-risk or "extreme" sports activities. For some adolescents risk taking becomes pervasive and can be detrimental to normal health and development. The majority of adolescents will do well in the context of athletics, and the many positive benefits of regular physical activity and sports participation should be appropriately emphasized. However, a subset of adolescents may be at greater risk for adverse consequences. This article reviews the reasons for participation and attrition from sports, the phenomenon of thrill seeking in sports, certain risk-taking behaviors of athletes, and studies comparing health risk behaviors in athletes and non-athletes.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior / psychology*
  • Adolescent Medicine
  • Athletic Injuries / etiology*
  • Athletic Injuries / prevention & control*
  • Athletic Injuries / psychology
  • Female
  • Health Behavior*
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Humans
  • Life Style
  • Male
  • Models, Psychological
  • Motivation
  • Psychology, Adolescent / statistics & numerical data*
  • Risk Factors
  • Risk-Taking*
  • Sports / psychology*
  • Sports / statistics & numerical data*