The Interplay of Physical Activity, Sleep Quality, Eating Habits, Problematic Internet Use, and Cognitive Ability among Adolescents in Sport and Non-Sport After-School Programs

Adolescence is a critical developmental period in which lifestyle behaviors and digital media exposure may influence physical, behavioral, and cognitive outcomes. This study examined differences in physical activity (PA), eating habits (EH), sleep quality (SQ), problematic internet use (PIU), and cognitive ability (CA) among adolescents participating in sport activity (SA) and non-sport (NS) extracurricular programs, while accounting for socioeconomic and demographic covariates.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 340 adolescents aged 12–16 years from public junior high schools in Jakarta, Indonesia (NS = 165; SA = 175). Validated instruments included the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A), Adolescent Food Habits Checklist, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale (PRIUSS), and Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices–Short. Data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests, chi-square tests, Pearson correlations, and multivariate general linear models.

SA participants reported higher PA, better SQ, lower PIU, and higher CA than NS participants (p ≤ .001), while EH differences were not significant in multivariate models. Multivariate results showed SA was associated with PA (p < .001), SQ (p = .001), and CA (p < .001). Affordability was associated with all outcomes (p = .036–.003), while parental education showed the strongest associations across all variables (p < .001). Correlations indicated strong associations among variables, with PIU showing the strongest negative association with CA (r ≈ −0.77 to −0.79).

In conclusion, adolescents involved in SA programs reported higher physical activity levels, healthier eating habits, better sleep quality, lower problematic internet use, and higher cognitive ability compared with those in non-sport NS programs. However, socioeconomic factors, particularly parental education and affordability, were also associated with these outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of integrated school-based health promotion strategies addressing both behavioral and socioeconomic determinants of adolescent development.