Table 5

Associations between participation in OLTAs and selected well-being indicators: results from adjusted three-level linear and logistic regression models with mixed effects

Life satisfaction
(n=45 683)
Psychological complaints
(n=44 693)
Somatic complaints
(n=44 754)
Excellent self-rated health
(n=45 900)
β95% CIβ95% CIβ95% CIOR95% CI
Fixed effects
 Breadth of OLTA participation (no OLTA=ref.)
 No. of OLTAs (0–6) 0.12 0.10 to 0.13 −0.09 −0.12 to −0.07 0.04 0.02 to 0.06 1.16 1.14 to 1.18
 Pattern of OLTA participation
 OLTA non-sport 0.15 010 to 0.20 0.02−1.00 to 0.14−0.06−0.15 to 0.051.010.93 to 1.09
 OLTA sport 0.37 0.32 to 0.42 −0.60 −0.71 to −0.49 −0.21 −0.30 to −0.12 1.67 1.55 to 1.79
 OLTA both 0.43 0.38 to 0.48 −0.43 −0.54 to −0.33 −0.05−0.13 to 0.04 1.68 1.57 to 1.80
Random effects
 Variance (SD)
 Country0.12 (0.35)0.28 (0.53)0.13 (0.36)0.03 (0.16)
 School0.12 (0.34)0.53 (0.73)0.32 (0.56)0.14 (0.37)
  • Nine countries from the 2017/18 HBSC study.

  • Data are beta coefficients (β) or OR and 95% CI. All models were controlled for sex, age category, Family Affluence Scale (FAS), family structure, family and peer support. Statistically significant values (p<0.05) are indicated in bold.

  • HBSC, Health Behaviour in School-aged Children; OLTA, organised leisure-time activity; ref., reference category.