Changes in physical activity in East London’s adolescents following the 2012 Olympic Games: findings from the prospective Olympic Regeneration in East London (ORiEL) cohort study

Introduction The London 2012 Olympic Games aimed to “inspire a generation” by increasing participation in sport through ‘demonstration effects’ – where individuals’ motivations are influenced by observing the actions of others. Here we evaluate whether adolescents’ participation in Olympic-related sports increased post-games, and whether changes were mediated by level of engagement with the Olympic experience. Methods The Olympic Regeneration in East London (ORiEL) study is a longitudinal controlled quasi-experimental study of a baseline sample of adolescents aged 11/12 years from …