{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T05:00:38Z","timestamp":1785128438236,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785110400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Compounded by physical inactivity and an obesogenic environment, adolescent obesity represents a significant public health challenge for Saudi Arabia. Drawing on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) as a conceptual lens, this study aimed to compare obesity-related risk behaviors among physically active and physically inactive male Saudi adolescents.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Method<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Using a cross-sectional design and convenience sampling, male Saudi high school students (\n                      <jats:italic>N<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f124) aged 16\u201317\u202fyears in Riyadh were classified into physically active (\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f70; self-reported vigorous-intensity activity or structured \u22653\u202fdays\/week) and physically inactive (\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f54) participants. BMI was classified according to International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cutoffs, and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) defined abdominal obesity. Lifestyle behaviors (PA, screen time, sleep, and diet) were assessed using the Arab Teen Lifestyle Study (ATLS) questionnaire.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Physically inactive participants had a significantly higher BMI than physically active peers (30.28 vs. 23.64\u202fkg\/m\n                      <jats:sup>2<\/jats:sup>\n                      ;\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt;\u202f0.001;\n                      <jats:italic>d<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f1.060), waist circumference (97.35 vs. 85.46\u202fcm;\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt;\u202f0.001;\n                      <jats:italic>d<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f0.866), and WHtR (0.562 vs. 0.488;\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt;\u202f0.001;\n                      <jats:italic>d<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f0.927). By IOTF criteria, 51.9% of physically inactive participants were obese versus 17.1% of physically active participants, and 72.2% exhibited abdominal obesity (WHtR \u2265 0.50) versus 31.4%. Physically active participants accumulated significantly greater METs-min\/week (4,083.9 vs. 2,225.0;\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt;\u202f0.001;\n                      <jats:italic>d<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f0.667) and PA minutes\/week (795.6 vs. 421.9;\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt;\u202f0.001;\n                      <jats:italic>d<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f0.758); 68.6% were highly active versus 24.1% of physically inactive participants, while 63.0% of physically inactive participants were sedentary. Screen time and sleep did not differ significantly between groups; insufficient sleep was prevalent in both groups (84.3% vs. 83.3%). Of ten dietary behaviors assessed, only fresh fruit consumption was significantly higher among physically active participants (5.44 vs. 4.24\u202fdays\/week;\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f0.006;\n                      <jats:italic>d<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f0.520).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Physically active was associated with lower obesity risk in male Saudi adolescents, with large between-group differences in BMI, WHtR, and abdominal obesity. Unsatisfactory screen time and sleep profiles across both groups suggest a pervasive obesogenic environment irrespective of PA status. These cross-sectional findings highlight the potential value of PA promotion, dietary reforms, and screen time and sleep initiatives for this population.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1885913","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T04:25:57Z","timestamp":1785126357000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Physical activity participation and obesity-related risk behaviors among male Saudi adolescents: a social cognitive theory perspective"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Abdulrahman I.","family":"Alaqil","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Education, Department of Physical Education, King Faisal University","place":["Al-Ahsa, Saudi 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