School bullying and its relationship with physical activity among schooled adolescents in Cali, Colombia

Bullying is a frequent issue in schools, and is associated with physical and mental disorders that can impact student behaviors, including physical activity. Nevertheless, studies addressing this matter within the national context remain limited. The aim was to analyze the relationship between bullying and physical activity in students from Cali, Colombia. A total of 340 students, aged between 12 and 17 years, from three schools participated in the study, they underwent anthropometric assessment, completed the Bully/Victim questionnaire to determine the frequency and type of bullying and the Physical Activity Questionnaire in its adolescent version (PAQA). Univariate analysis was conducted using frequency and percentage tables for qualitative variables, while quantitative variables were presented as means with standard deviations. Bivariate analysis utilized Pearson's Chi2 and Fisher's tests for categorical variables, and T-Student's statistic for mean comparisons. Finally, odds ratios (OR) were calculated using logistic regression models. The 32.06% of students reported experiencing some form of bullying, with females exhibiting a higher likelihood of being victims of insults or mockery, and males showing a greater likelihood of being bullies. Being physically active was associated with having experienced intimidation, being male, and attending private schools. This study underscores the importance of implementing initiatives to promote physical activity and reduce bullying, with a focus on high-risk groups such as females and students in public schools