Social influence and adolescent health-related physical activity in structured and unstructured settings: role of channel and type

Parental and peer support and modelling in relation to domain-specific physical activity participation in boys and girls from Germany

Background

Physical activity (PA) as a precondition of child development is related with social environmental correlates. However, domain-specific PA and gender issues have been neglected in studies on social support and modelling and PA in school-aged children. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships of parental and peer modelling and social support with domain-specific PA participation in a large sample of school-aged children, taking gender into account.

Methods

3,505 school children aged 6 to 17 years old participated in the German nationwide ‘MoMo’ cohort-study. By using the MoMo-PAQ the participants and their parents provided self-report data on perceived social support and social modelling and domain-specific PA participation. Relationships of social environmental variables and the physical outcomes were analysed by logistic regression analyses.

Results

At secondary school level, girls were less likely than boys to participate in physical activity in and outside of sports clubs, extra-curricular physical activity and in outdoor play (p < 0.05), but at primary school level this pattern only applied to club sport (p < 0.01). Girls also received less social support than boys (p < 0.01). Physical activity participation in all domains was associated with any of the social support and modelling variables and differences between physical activity domains and between boys and girls occurred. Most consistently physical activity in sports clubs was related with the social environmental correlates in boys (primary school: R² = 0.60; secondary school: R² = 0.45) and girls (primary school: R² = 0.53; secondary school: R² = 0.47).

Conclusions

In future, reciprocal relationships of social environmental variables and PA should be considered in longitudinal studies to obtain insights into the direction of the associations. Furthermore, interventions encompassing the social environment and focussed particularly on the promotion of domain-specific PA in girls in secondary school-age are warranted.

Social Support and Modelling in Relation to Physical Activity Participation and Outdoor Play in Preschool Children

Physical activity during early childhood is a prerequisite for healthy development in many cases. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships of social modelling and support from parents, peers, and siblings and domain-specific physical activity participation in a nationwide sample of preschool boys and girls from Germany. 519 preschool children aged 4-6 and one of their parents participated in the 'MoMo' Wave 1 Study between 2009 and 2012. Participants and their parents provided self-reported data on social support modelling, and domain-specific physical activity participation (physical activity in sports clubs, physical activity outside of sports clubs, and outdoor play). Parental, peer, and sibling support and modelling were related to domain-specific physical activity: Parental support was particularly relevant for physical activity in sports clubs, and peer support for outdoor play. Parental modelling was only related to physical activity outside of sports clubs: Maternal modelling was a positive correlate in girls and paternal modelling in boys, respectively. Sibling and peer modelling were especially relevant for physical activity in sports clubs. The results were heterogeneous regarding types and providers of support and modelling. Thus, different providers and types of support should be targeted in physical activity promotion programs for preschool children.

Gender-Specific Body Areas Satisfaction and Body Weight Status in Adolescents: Mediating Effects of Physical Activity, Fruit and Vegetable Intake, and Energy-Dense Food Intake

Background

Body satisfaction is one of the key modifiable cognitive determinants of eating behaviours, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI). As the sociocultural models suggest, low body satisfaction may explain unhealthy eating and exercise behaviours. Importantly, body satisfaction levels and body areas that individuals focus on vary across genders. This study aims at investigating links between the global index of body areas satisfaction (BAS), gender‐specific BAS, fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake, energy‐dense foods intake, moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and BMI.

Methods

In all, 1,254 adolescents completed questionnaires and had their weight and height objectively measured with 2‐ and 13‐month follow‐ups. Indirect effects of three indices of BAS were tested in three models (male‐specific BAS amongst boys; female‐specific BAS amongst girls; the global BAS index in the total sample).

Results

Higher levels of all three BAS indices indirectly predicted lower BMI, with higher MVPA mediating this effect. In addition, higher energy‐dense foods intake mediated higher global BAS–higher BMI relationship in the total sample. Thus, the global index of BAS acts as double‐edged sword, predicting both higher MVPA and energy‐dense foods intake.

Conclusion

BAS may operate in a complex manner, predicting behaviours which may have opposite effects on BMI.

Sibling influence on children's objectively measured physical activity: a meta-analysis and systematic review

Abstract

Children without siblings (only children) have higher rates of obesity than children with siblings. Childhood obesity may be prevented by minimising sedentary behaviour and accumulating sufficient physical activity in young children. A growing number of articles have examined the influence of siblings on physical activity and sedentary behaviour, yet these articles have not been synthesised.

Objective

To synthesise literature and describe the influence of siblings on objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour of children (ages 2–18 years).

Design

Outcomes were analysed in a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data sources

PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Medline OVID were searched for articles related to siblings, physical activity, sedentary behaviour and obesity outcomes from 1947 to March 2018.

Eligibility criteria

Articles that evaluated sibling status on physical activity objectively measured by accelerometer or pedometer were included.

Results

Nineteen articles, representing 17 independent datasets, were included in the review. Nine were included in the quantitative analysis. Pooled data from nine articles indicated children with siblings had higher moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) relative to only children, with a potential dose response for higher number of children in household and higher MVPA (Mean Difference=3.13, 95% CI 1.90 to 4.35, p=0.001). Findings were mixed for the influence of siblings on sedentary behaviour and light physical activity.

Summary/Conclusion

Children with siblings had healthier physical activity patterns, as measured by accelerometer or pedometer, than did only children. Suggested mechanisms include peer modelling, encouraging active transport and sports participation, opportunity for playmate and serving as additional caregivers.

Trial registration number

CRD42017055463.

Associations between Parental and Friend Social Support and Children's Physical Activity and Time Spent outside Playing

The purpose of this study was to examine the structural validity of a parent and a child questionnaire that assessed parental and friends' influences on children's physical activity and investigate the associations between the derived factors, physical activity, and time spent outside. Children (N = 154, mean age = 11.7) and 144 of their parents completed questionnaires assessing parental and friends' influences on children's physical activity. Children wore a pedometer for six days. Exploratory factor analyses revealed four factors for the parental and five for the child's questionnaire that explained 66.71% and 63.85% of the variance, respectively. Five factors were significantly associated with physical activity and five significantly associated with time spent outside. Higher correlations were revealed between “general friend support,” “friends' activity norms,” and physical activity (r = 0.343 and 0.333 resp., p < 0.001) and between “general friend support” and time spent outside (r = 0.460, p < 0.001). Obtaining information relating to parental and friends' influences on physical activity from both parents and children may provide a more complete picture of influences. Parents and friends seem to influence children's physical activity behavior and time spent outside, but friends' influences may have a stronger impact on children's behaviors.

Changes in sport and physical activity participation for adolescent females: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Participation in sport and physical activity is reported to decline during adolescence, particularly for females. However we do not have a clear understanding of changes in the context (i.e., modes and settings) of participation throughout adolescence. This study investigated longitudinal changes in physical activity participation and the specific modes and settings of physical activity, together with cross-sectional comparisons, for two age cohorts of female adolescents.

METHODS

Survey of 729 adolescent girls (489 recruited in Year 7 and 243 in Year 11). Participation in eight different modes/settings was reported. PA was measured using 24-h recall diary and metabolic equivalent weighted energy expenditure (MET-min) in Leisure Time Moderate and Vigorous Physical Activity (LTMVPA) on the previous day was calculated.

RESULTS

There were no significant changes in duration or total MET-min of LTMVPA on previous day. However, there were significant changes in the modes/settings of participation across time. Participation in school physical education rose during early adolescence before decreasing significantly, and participation in competitive sport and club sport significantly decreased over time; however there were increases in non-competitive forms of physical activity.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall levels of physical activity did not significantly decrease over adolescence, which is positive for physical health. However, the transition from structured sport to non-organised physical activity may effect social and psychological health, which needs to be further examined.

Predictors of Physical Activity in Positive Deviant Adolescents

The purpose of this analysis was to examine the predictors of PA in positive deviant adolescents in comparison to average or underachieving adolescents on the same criterion.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A survey of Canadian adolescents aged 13-20 (N=603), based on a multidimensional wellness model and an ecological model, provided the data for a multiple regression analysis to identify predictors of PA in positive deviant adolescents defined as having higher than average levels of PA.

RESULTS

Significant predictors of PA for positive deviant girls were recreational time, an increased sense of wellness, age, and family support (explaining 47.7% of variance for girls). Within the positive deviant group, older girls were less active than younger girls. For positive deviant boys, use of recreational time was the only significant predictor of PA (explaining 5.9% of the variance).

CONCLUSIONS

Wellness as a significant predictor of PA in positive deviant adolescent girls is a new and unique finding. The measurement of wellness in this study was a composite score of the physical, social, and psychological developmental dimensions of adolescent lives.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Pediatric nurses may wish to consider a multidimensional wellness approach, family support, and recreation time as major foci of PA interventions in adolescents.

Social Provisions and Young Women's Health-Related Physical Activity

Understanding the factors involved in being active enough for health benefits is necessary to promote health-related physical activity. Given the documented role of social support in women's activity (Molloy et al. 2010), this study examined the relationship between Weiss's (1974) social provisions and health-related physical activity in young women. College undergraduate women (N = 136) from a kinesiology course completed a modified Social Provisions Scale (Cutrona and Russell 1987) and reported on the physical activity they engaged in with others over a 4-week period in the fall of 2011. We used average daily energy expenditure, calculated based on participants' reported activity involvement, to classify participants as either sufficiently or insufficiently active (Canadian Fitness & Lifestyle Research Institute 1999). A logistic regression using sufficient/insufficient activity levels for health as the dependent variable revealed that the six provisions reliably differentiated between those who were active enough for health benefits versus not. Of the six, two provisions were significantly associated with health-related physical activity--specifically, those who held higher perceptions of reassurance of worth and social integration were more likely to be in the sufficiently-active group. These results provide an initial indication of the specific social provisions associated with young women who are active enough to achieve health benefits.

Parents and friends both matter: simultaneous and interactive influences of parents and friends on European schoolchildren's energy balance-related behaviours - the ENERGY cross-sectional study

Background

The family, and parents in particular, are considered the most important influencers regarding children’s energy-balance related behaviours (EBRBs). When children become older and gain more behavioural autonomy regarding different behaviours, the parental influences may become less important and peer influences may gain importance. Therefore the current study aims to investigate simultaneous and interactive associations of family rules, parent and friend norms and modelling with soft drink intake, TV viewing, daily breakfast consumption and sport participation among schoolchildren across Europe.

Methods

A school-based cross-sectional survey in eight countries across Europe among 10–12 year old schoolchildren. Child questionnaires were used to assess EBRBs (soft drink intake, TV viewing, breakfast consumption, sport participation), and potential determinants of these behaviours as perceived by the child, including family rules, parental and friend norms and modelling. Linear and logistic regression analyses (n = 7811) were applied to study the association of parental (norms, modelling and rules) and friend influences (norm and modelling) with the EBRBs. In addition, potential moderating effects of parental influences on the associations of friend influences with the EBRBs were studied by including interaction terms.

Results

Children reported more unfavourable friend norms and modelling regarding soft drink intake and TV viewing, while they reported more favourable friend and parental norms and modelling for breakfast consumption and physical activity. Perceived friend and parental norms and modelling were significantly positively associated with soft drink intake, breakfast consumption, physical activity (only modelling) and TV time. Across the different behaviours, ten significant interactions between parental and friend influencing variables were found and suggested a weaker association of friend norms and modelling when rules were in place.

Conclusion

Parental and friends norm and modelling are associated with schoolchildren’s energy balance-related behaviours. Having family rules or showing favourable parental modelling and norms seems to reduce the potential unfavourable associations of friends’ norms and modelling with the EBRBs.

Perceived parental social support and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in children at risk of obesity

PURPOSE

Identification of factors that relate to physical activity behavior in children at higher risk for weight problems--namely, children with obese parents--is key to informing the development of effective interventions to promote physical activity and reduce obesity. The purpose of our study was to examine children's perceptions of parental social support for physical activity and the associations between these perceptions and health-enhancing physical activity behavior. Our specific objectives were to: (a) compare perceptions of parental support in children across gender and weight status; (b) compare perceptions of support across source (mother, father) and type (tangible, intangible) in normal-weight and overweight girls and boys; and (c) examine the associations between perceptions of parental support and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) behavior.

METHOD

We used data collected from the Quebec Adiposity and Lifestyle Investigation in Youth, an investigation of Caucasian children with at least 1 obese biological parent. We included in the analyses children (n = 560, M(age) = 9.6 years, 55% boys, 41% overweight/obese) with data on parental support assessed using a self-report questionnaire and data on MVPA assessed using accelerometers.

RESULTS

Multivariate analyses of variance indicated that perceptions of support differed by children's gender and weight status. Paired-samples t tests showed that children reported more intangible than tangible support. Regression analyses demonstrated that perceptions of paternal tangible support were positively related to MVPA in normal-weight girls, but only a small amount of variance was explained.

CONCLUSIONS

Children's gender and weight status need to be considered when studying parental support for physical activity. Further, type and source of support should be differentiated in future research.