Comparison of physical activity levels among school-age adolescents in rural and urban areas of district Swat, KPK, Pakistan

Background: Obesity and overweight represent significant global public health concerns. School-age adolescents are particularly at risk of experiencing obesity and overweight due to a sedentary lifestyle, electronic media use, and lack of physical activity (PA). This trend is linked to the development of non-communicable diseases in later life. Evidence on low physical activity levels is available in Pakistan; however, a comparative analysis of PA levels between rural and urban adolescents is lacking. The study aimed to compare physical activity levels among school-age adolescents in rural and urban areas of Swat, KPK, Pakistan. The study also aimed to explore how gender, age, grade, and school type influenced the PA levels of adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out with a sample size of 287 school-age adolescents (aged 10 to 14 years) selected from eight governmental and private middle schools in rural and urban areas of district Swat, KPK, Pakistan. The data about physical activity was collected using a researcher-administered questionnaire adapted from the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C). Results: The mean PA score for rural adolescents was 3.65 ± 0.38 out of a total score of 5, whereas the mean PA score for urban adolescents was 2.22 ± 0.47 with a significant difference (p < 0.001). In addition, a significant difference between private and government school-age adolescents’ PA levels was found (p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in PA levels in terms of gender and school grade. Further, a very low negative correlation was found (r = − 0.1) between school-age and PA scores. Conclusion: The place of residence has an impact on the PA level of adolescents. The study found a significant difference in the mean PA levels of school-age adolescents in rural and urban areas. Future research is recommended to identify the factors contributing to disparities in PA among adolescents residing in urban areas.