Almost nine out of ten young Irish people play at least one sport, either competitively or recreationally, according to a study on their leisure activities.
The study also found there was a significant decline in participation rates with age, particularly among teenage girls. The report was carried out by two academics at Cork Institute of Technology on behalf of the National Children's Office.
Soccer, Gaelic football and hurling are the most popular sports for boys while girls preferred basketball, Gaelic football and swimming.
The report found 96 per cent of 12-year-olds are involved in at least one sport, compared to 77 per cent of 18-year-olds.
This decline is particularly marked in girls, with a decrease from 98 per cent of 12-year-olds to 68 per cent of 18 year-olds.
One of the report's authors Joan Dinneen said: "Our findings for 12 to 13-year-olds compare well internationally but the drop off in involvement in sport through the teenage years is worrisome, particularly in light of the known health risks associated with inactivity."
The study entitled Young People's Views about Opportunities, Barriers and Supports to Recreation and Leisureconducted a survey of over 2,260 young people, aged 12-18 years, in 51 schools.
Predictably watching television and listening to music was found to be the most common leisure time activities among young people. It found 94 per cent of teenagers watch television and 89 per cent listen to music every day or most days.
Television viewing is popular with both sexes and shows no significant rise or fall across the age span of 12-18 years, the study showed. But listening to music is more popular with girls and young women, and increases in popularity from 12 to 18 years.
Playing computer games was also found to be popular among teenagers but while over 60 per cent of boys admitted to playing every day or most days only 13 per cent of girls said they played them regularly.
The study found over half of young people read in their free time every day or most days.
But again there is a difference between boys and girls with the latter reading significantly more than the former.
"Notwithstanding the high involvement rates in a range of activities, a majority of young people believe there is very little leisure provision for adolescents in their locality, particularly in rural areas," the study said.
It found that 15 per cent of young people claimed not to have enough money to join the leisure activities that they would like to join.
Older adolescents from lower socio-economic groups are those most likely to experience financial barriers. Young people in rural areas are more likely to experience difficulties with transport, the study found.