Physical activity, dietary habits, screen time, and sleep duration among Saudi male adolescent athletes and non-athletes: a cross-sectional study

Background: Adolescence represents a pivotal stage for the development of lifelong health behaviors. In Saudi Arabia, rising obesity and sedentary lifestyles among youth represent growing public health challenges. While organized sports may positively influence lifestyle behaviors, evidence comparing Saudi adolescent athletes and non-athletes across multiple behavioral domains remains limited. Purpose: To compare lifestyle habits, including physical activity levels, sedentary behaviors, dietary practices, and sleep duration, between Saudi male adolescent athletes and non-athletes. Method: A cross-sectional study of 124 male high school students aged 16-17 years (70 athletes, 54 non-athletes) from Riyadh used a validated 47-item Arab Teen Lifestyle Study (ATLS) questionnaire. Physical activity was measured in METs-minutes per week. Chi-square tests, independent t-tests, and multiple linear regression were applied. Result: Athletes exhibited significantly higher physical activity levels (98.6% meeting guidelines compared to 55.6% of non-athletes; p < 0.001) and lower BMI (23.64 ± 5.39 versus 29.69 ± 8.34 kg/m2; p < 0.001). Additionally, a greater proportion of athletes reported consuming fruit on five or more days per week (54.3% versus 33.3%; χ2 = 8.10, p = 0.017; V = 0.26). Athletes reported shorter average sleep duration (9.06 ± 3.67 versus 11.28 ± 3.52 h per day; p = 0.001), although both groups exceeded the minimum recommended 8 h. No significant difference was observed between groups in daily screen time (4.04 ± 2.63 versus 4.44 ± 3.08 h; p = 0.44). In an exploratory regression model, frequency of energy drink consumption emerged as the only significant individual predictor of BMI (B = 4.12, 95% CI: 0.32-7.92; p = 0.034), although the overall model was not statistically significant (R2 = 0.071; F = 1.26; p = 0.278). Conclusion: Participation in organized sports is linked to increased physical activity, lower body mass index, and improved fruit consumption among Saudi male adolescents. However, athletes reported reduced sleep duration, and elevated screen time persisted in both groups. These results support the integration of sports programs into adolescent health strategies and highlight the need for comprehensive interventions that address sleep hygiene, screen time management, and the promotion of physical activity.