Last in Line, Lasting in Mind? A Retrospective Investigation of the Relationship Between Physical Education Experiences and Adult Physical Activity

Physical inactivity remains a major public health concern. While affective experiences are known to influence physical activity (PA), it is less clear how affective memories from physical education (PE) influence PA behavior in adulthood. This retrospective study investigated whether remembered enjoyment of PE and experiences of team selection are associated with current PA and sedentary behavior in a German adult sample (N = 692). Results showed that greater remembered enjoyment of PE was positively associated with moderate to vigorous PA (r = .15, p < .001) and negatively associated with sedentary time (r = -.14, p < .001). Being chosen last for teams was linked to lower PA (r = -.11, p = .004). An additional regression analysis identified PE enjoyment as an underlying factor between team selection and PA behavior in adulthood. These findings highlight that affective PE memories may form durable associations that shape lifelong PA behavior.