Prevalence and sociodemographic characteristics of moderate and high engagement in muscle-building exercise among adolescents

This study aimed to describe the prevalence and sociodemographic characteristics of U.S. adolescents who engage in frequent muscle-building exercise. Data from the 2019 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (N = 8474) were analyzed. Frequent muscle-building exercise in the past week (≥ 5 days and 7 days) were assessed. Multivariable logistic analyses were conducted separately by sex to obtain adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association between key sociodemographic characteristics and muscle-building exercise. Nearly one in five (17.9%) boys, compared to 7.7% of girls, reported seven days of muscle-building exercise in the past week. Patterns of sociodemographic characteristics were associated with seven days of muscle-building exercise in the past week, including weight gain attempts among boys and Hispanic/Latina identity among girls. High engagement in muscle-building exercise is common among adolescents, particularly boys, and varied by sociodemographic characteristics, indicating a need for research to further describe engagement in muscle-building exercise among adolescents.