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

Personal Social Networks and Adiposity in Adolescents: A Feasibility Study

Background and Objective: Weight-related behaviors are determined by multiple individual and contextual factors, with recent evidence implicating personal social networks (PSNs). Greater understanding of these relationships could help inform healthy weight promoting interventions. We conducted a feasibility study among youth at risk of obesity to document process outcomes, to discern relationships between PSN features and weight-related behaviors, and to generate hypotheses with respect to perceived social support (SS) and sex. Methods: Participants (egos) nominated up to 10 people (alters) with whom they discussed important matters. Egos reported their own and each alter's age, sex, body shape, lifestyle behaviors, relation, frequency of exercising with each alter, and of being encouraged by each alter to exercise. We examined relationships between PSN features and weight-related outcomes and explored the role of SS, using both correlational and linear regression analyses. Results: There were 45 participants (mean age 16.4 years) and body mass index z-score (zBMI) ranged from -1.2 to 3.9. There were few missing responses to PSN items; broad variation across most items, including SS scores, was reported. Correlations pointed to plausible relationships implicating PSN features and lifestyle behaviors. In exploratory analyses, network-based SS was positively associated with adiposity in girls and negatively associated in boys, while lifestyle role modelling was not associated with adiposity. Conclusions: Our findings support the feasibility of measuring the PSN in youth and the potential for using social network analysis to investigate social and behavioral mechanisms associated with obesity.

Perceptions of Family-Level Social Factors That Influence Health Behaviors in Latinx Adolescents and Young Adults at High Risk for Type 2 Diabetes

Given that health behaviors occur within the context of familial social relationships, a deeper understanding of social factors that influence health behaviors in Latinx families is needed to develop more effective diabetes prevention programming. This qualitative study identified perceived family-level social factors that influence health behaviors in Latinx adolescents (12-16 years; N = 16) and young adults (18-24 years; N = 15) with obesity and explored differences in perceptions across sex and age. Participants completed an in-depth interview that was recorded, transcribed, and coded using thematic content analysis. Emergent themes central to health behaviors included: perceived parental roles and responsibilities, perceived family social support for health behaviors, and familial social relationships. Mom's role as primary caregiver and dad's role as a hard worker were seen as barriers to engaging in health behaviors among adolescent females and young adults, males and females. Adolescents perceived receiving more support compared to young adults and males perceived receiving more support compared to females. Health behaviors in both age groups were shaped through early familial social interactions around physical activity. These insights suggest that traditional gender roles, social support, and social interaction around health behaviors are critical components for family-based diabetes prevention programs in high-risk Latinx youth and young adults.

Perceived physical fitness mediates the relationship between parental support and physical activity enjoyment in overweight and obese adolescents

The relationship between parental support and physical activity enjoyment appears to be mediated by individual-level factors. The aim of this study was to examine whether the relationship between perceived parental support and physical activity enjoyment is mediated by overweight and obese adolescents' physical fitness, both subjectively and objectively assessed. A total of 163 participants (mean age =14.30 years, 55.8% boys) with an average body mass index of 28.97 kg/m2 took part in this study. Participants completed a questionnaire of parental influence regarding physical activity, a questionnaire of physical self-perception and several fitness tests (cardiorespiratory fitness, lower limbs muscular strength and flexibility) using the ALPHA-fitness battery. The results showed that relationship between perceived parental support and physical activity enjoyment is mediated by the overweight and obese adolescents' perceived cardiorespiratory fitness and flexibility. We suggest to create educational guidelines for parents to increase the support and improve overweight and obese students' positive perceived physical competence, in order to achieve a greater adherence to physical activity and greater physical activity enjoyment.

The Motor and Leisure Time Conditioning of Young Table Tennis Players' Physical Fitness

The purpose of the study was to assess the association between physical fitness and the lifestyle determinants of elite junior table tennis players. The basic anthropometric characteristics (body height and body weight) were collected of 87 Polish table tennis players (girls, n = 38 and boys, n = 49, at different stages of sport training, targeted and specialized) aged 11–17 years. The level of special fitness tests from the Table Tennis Specific Battery Test were used, assessing reaction speed and displacement speed. All eight International Physical Fitness Test trials were also used to determine the level of general fitness of the participants. Selected questions from the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children questionnaire were asked to measure factors associated with leisure time. The findings confirm a relationship between sedentary forms of leisure time activity and the training of young players at the targeted stage (Z = −2.93, p = 0.003 school days and Z = −2.12, p = 0.034 days off). Moreover, competitors with longer training experience more often chose active forms of spending free time. Knowledge of the global physical activity undertaken by young athletes during their leisure time provides a better understanding of their individual needs and may help young table tennis players to succeed at a world-class level in the future.

"It Is Like Compulsory to Go, but It Is still pretty Nice": Young Children's Views on Physical Activity Parenting and the Associated Motivational Regulation

Physical activity parenting (PAP) is consistently correlated with children's physical activity (PA). Children's perception of PAP has garnered little attention given that it mediates the relationship between PAP and child PA outcomes. This study aimed to examine 7-10-year-old children's perspectives on PAP practices and how they relate to their motivational regulation of PA. A total of 79 children 7-10 years of age participated in 19 semi-structured focus group interviews. Through qualitative theory-guided content analysis, using frameworks of parenting dimensions and self-determination theory (SDT), we found that children's perceptions of high responsiveness and low demandingness in PAP-according to SDT, autonomy support, involvement, and structure-were associated with satisfaction of all three psychological basic needs-autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In contrast, perceptions of high demandingness and low responsiveness in PAP, i.e., coercive control, were associated with dissatisfaction of autonomy need. However, perceptions of high demandingness and high responsiveness in PAP, specifically parental expectations and facilitation of PA, were associated with satisfaction of competence need. It seems possible to identify different types of PAP practices associated with children's motivation for PA. Different forms of parental demandingness with differing motivational outcomes were uniquely identified from the children's perceptions of PAP.

Perceptions of Physical Activity Promotion, Transportation Support, Physical Activity, and Body Mass: an Insight into Parent-Child Dyadic Processes

Background

Socio-ecological models indicate that family, school, and community environment explains children’s physical activity and body weight. This study investigated whether parental perceptions of school/community-based physical activity (PA) promotion programs as well as parental and child perceptions of parental instrumental support for child PA (transportation provision) would predict child body weight. Child moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was hypothesized to mediate these associations.

Method

Data of 879 parent-child dyads were collected at two measurement points: the baseline (T1) and the 7–8-month follow-up (T2). Parents were 23–68 years old (83.3% women), while children were 5–11 years old (52.4% girls). Parents and children reported their perceptions of environment, support (T1), and MVPA (T1, T2). Parental and child body weight and height were measured objectively (T1, T2).

Results

Path analyses indicated indirect effects of parental perceptions of school/community-based PA policies (T1) and parental perceptions of transportation provision (T1) on child body weight (T2), with child MVPA (T2) operating as the mediator. There were no direct or indirect effects of child perceptions of parental transportation provision (T1) on child MVPA or body weight (T2). Similar patterns of associations were found for the total sample and the subsample of children with overweight/obesity.

Conclusion

Parental perceptions of school/community-based PA policies and transportation provision may explain changes in child MVPA and body weight. Interventions aimed at prevention of child overweight/obesity may benefit from a focus on parental transportation provision to PA facilities and parental awareness of PA promotion at local environment.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s12529-019-09780-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Associations Between Parenting Factors, Motivation, and Physical Activity in Overweight African American Adolescents

Background

Positive parenting practices and environmental supports have been linked to physical activity (PA) levels in youth, yet factors associated with positive parenting styles have been understudied in African American adolescents.

Purpose

This study expands on previous literature by examining associations between motivation, parenting factors associated with Self-Determination Theory's psychological needs (competence, autonomy, and relatedness) including authoritative parenting, autonomy support and emotional and tangible support, and adolescent moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and light PA (LPA).

Methods

Participants were African American adolescents (N = 148; Mage = 13.6 years; MBMI% = 96.6) and their care-givers (Mage = 43.4 years; MBMI = 37.4) enrolled in the Families Improving Together for Weight Loss trial. Parenting factors were measured using self-report surveys, and PA minutes were measured using 7-day accelerometry estimates.

Results

Regression analyses indicated that overall models for MVPA (F(11,134) = 4.35; R2 = 0.26) and LPA (F(11,134) = 5.84, R2 = 0.32) were significant. Adolescent motivation for PA (B = 0.58, SE = 0.16) was positively associated with MVPA minutes. Authoritative parenting (B = 15.71, SE = 4.38) and tangible support (B = 8.53, SE = 4.02) were positively associated with adolescent LPA minutes. Unexpectedly, emotional support was negatively associated with both MVPA (B = -0.47, SE = 0.17) and LPA (B = -11.22, SE = 4.79), with follow-up analyses showing this relationship stronger in males.

Conclusion

Findings highlight the importance of adolescent motivation for PA onMVPA and positive parenting styles and tangible supports on adolescent LPA in overweight African American youth. Recommendations for integrating these factors within the context of intervention studies are discussed.

A systematic review of methods to measure family co-participation in physical activity

The family environment is key in influencing children's health behaviours. Encouraging family co-participation in physical activity may therefore be an effective approach to increasing children's physical activity levels. Yet, little is known about how to best assess family co-participation in physical activity. This review summarizes methods to measure family co-participation in physical activity, which was defined as joint physical activities including at least one healthy child (0-18 years) and one other family member. Methods were identified through a systematic literature search, cross-referencing pre-selected reviews and contacting research groups. Thirty-seven measurement methods were included. Questionnaires were the most common method used, with the majority assessing frequency of co-participation and few also assessing duration and type. Reliability and internal consistency of scales were often reported, but rarely specified for the item(s) relevant to co-participation. Other methods of measuring co-participation included diaries, event history calendars, direct observations and accelerometry combined with diary, ecological momentary assessment or global positioning systems (GPS). Whilst a large number of measurement methods of family co-participation in physical activity exist, few are comprehensive and/or report acceptable psychometric properties. Future work should focus on reaching consensus in defining family co-participation in physical activity, and subsequently developing reliable and valid measures.

Association of parental social support with energy balance-related behaviors in low-income and ethnically diverse children: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Parents play an important role in providing their children with social support for healthy eating and physical activity. However, different types of social support (e.g., instrumental, emotional, modeling, rules) might have different results on children's actual behavior. The purpose of this study was to assess the association of the different types of social support with children's physical activity and eating behaviors, as well as to examine whether these associations differ across racial/ethnic groups.

METHODS

We surveyed 1169 low-income, ethnically diverse third graders and their caregivers to assess how children's physical activity and eating behaviors (fruit and vegetable and sugar-sweetened beverage intake) were associated with instrumental social support, emotional social support, modeling, rules and availability of certain foods in the home. We used sequential linear regression to test the association of parental social support with a child's physical activity and eating behaviors, adjusting for covariates, and then stratified to assess the differences in this association between racial/ethnic groups.

RESULTS

Parental social support and covariates explained 9-13% of the variance in children's energy balance-related behaviors. Family food culture was significantly associated with fruit and vegetable and sugar-sweetened beverage intake, with availability of sugar-sweetened beverages in the home also associated with sugar-sweetened beverage intake. Instrumental and emotional support for physical activity were significantly associated with the child's physical activity. Results indicate that the association of various types of social support with children's physical activity and eating behaviors differ across racial/ethnic groups.

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide considerations for future interventions that aim to enhance parental support to improve children's energy balance-related behaviors.

Psychosocial Variables Related to Why Women are Less Active than Men and Related Health Implications

This article reviews psychosocial influences on women’s participation in physical activity as they differ from men and how associated activity differences impact women’s risk for a number of chronic diseases. This topic directly aligns with the mission of this special edition related to disparities in women’s health as the typically lower level of physical activity in females directly impacts their health. On average, females participate in physical activity at lower rates than their male counterparts. These lower rates of physical activity are directly related to both incidence of and outcomes from cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and breast and gynecological cancers. The relationship between psychosocial factors that are understood to affect physical activity differs between men and women. Specifically, self-efficacy, social support, and motivation are empirically substantiated factors that found to impact physical activity participation among women differently than men. Understanding these relationships is integral to designing effective interventions to target physical activity participation in women so that the related health risks are adequately addressed.

Impact of mobile apps to combat obesity in children and adolescents: A systematic literature review

PURPOSE

This review examines the impact of mobile app technology on obesity-related anthropometric, psychosocial, and behavioral outcomes in children and adolescents.

CONCLUSIONS

Nine research articles retrieved from a systematic review of the literature met criteria. Evidence is limited and mixed, but argues for an impact of mobile app use on motivation and goal-setting behavior, and supports further study of the impact on childhood obesity-related outcomes such as attitudes, perceptions, physical activity, and dietary habits.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Nurses can use this evidence to discuss potential benefits of health promotion mobile apps with parents, children, and adolescents to combat childhood obesity.

HOW IS CLASSMATE AND PE TEACHER SUPPORT ASSOCIATED WITH THE LEVEL OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN YOUNG ADOLESCENTS FROM KOSOVO? THE ROLE OF GENDER AND AGE

AIM

This study aimed to investigate how were the peer and physical education (PE) teacher variables associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among Kosovar teenagers (13-15 years of age), and the role of age and gender in these associations.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data was gathered through a study conducted in seven major municipalities of Kosovo. 632 girls (aged 14.3 ± 0.8) and 664 boys (aged 14.2 ± 0.8) were examined using the adjusted Classmate and Teacher Support Scale and the Physical Activity Screening measure. A three-way (support*age*gender) ANOVA was used to compare the individuals' MVPA level with the different levels of support they received, with different age in groups of girls and boys.

RESULTS

Boys reported higher levels of MVPA than girls in all age categories. A higher level of MVPA was reported by boys receiving high or medium support from classmates. In case of PE teacher support, high, medium and even low support correlated with high MVPA in all age categories. In girls only 13 year olds reported receiving high levels of both classmate and PE teachers support which correlated with a higher level of MVPA.

CONCLUSIONS

It appears that engagement in MVPA among young Kosovar adolescents is relatively high in boys, regardless of the level of classmate or PE teacher support, whereas in girls the level of MVPA decreased over their time at school. Support from both classmates and PE teachers turned out to be the most significant factor in 13 years old girls, before they moved from primary to secondary school. This issue requires more detailed insight, considering traditional ethnical and religious barriers to engagement of young female adolescents in physical activity.

Parental correlates in child and adolescent physical activity: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Physical activity (PA) has a profound impact on health and development in children. Parental behaviors (i.e., modeling and support) represent an obvious important factor in child PA. The purpose of this paper was to provide a comprehensive meta-analysis that overcomes the limitations of prior narrative reviews and quantitative reviews with small samples.

METHODS

Ten major databases were used in the literature search. One-hundred and fifteen studies passed the eligibility criteria. Both fixed and random effects models with correction for sampling and measurement error were examined in the analysis. Moderator analyses investigating the effects of child's developmental age, study design, parental gender, measurement of child PA, and quality rating were performed.

RESULTS

Based on the random effects model, the results showed that parental modeling was weakly associated with child PA (summary r = .16, 95% CI .09-.24) and none of the proposed moderators were significant. Separate analyses examining the moderating effects of parental gender and boys' PA found that that father-son PA modeling (r = .29, 95% CI .21-.36) was significantly higher compared to mother-son PA (r = .19, 95% CI .14-.23; p < .05). However, parental gender did not moderate the relationship between parental modeling and girls' PA (p > .05). The random effects model indicated an overall moderate effect size for the parental support and child PA relationship (summary r = .38, 95% CI .30-.46). Here, the only significant moderating variable was the measurement of child PA (objective: r = .20, 95% CI .13-.26; reported: r = .46, 95% CI .37-.55; p < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Parental support and modeling relate to child PA, yet our results revealed a significant degree of heterogeneity among the studies that could not be explained well by our proposed moderators.