High and low exercisers among 14- and 15-year-old children

The feasibility of using a peer-guided model to enhance participation in community-based physical activity for youth with intellectual disability

We examined the feasibility of a using a peer-guided model to foster participation of youth with intellectual disability in community-based exercise. The intervention was designed to address personal barriers to exercise commonly faced by individuals with intellectual disability. Twenty adolescents with mild-moderate intellectual disability and 14 typically developing peers exercised in groups of two or three, 2 days per week for 15 weeks at YMCAs. Each dyad or triad provided reciprocal support during structured, individualized exercise sessions led by certified fitness trainers. Adherence to the program was high and youth with intellectual disability showed a significant reduction in personal barriers. They also felt they had learned new skills and made new friends. Typically developing youth were also positive about their experience as a volunteer. Our findings suggest that a peer-guided exercise model is useful for enhancing participation in community-based exercise.

Youth physical activity opportunities in lower and higher income neighborhoods

The presence of youth physical activity opportunities is one of the strongest environmental correlates of youth physical activity. More detailed information about such opportunities is needed to maximize their contributions to physical activity promotion especially in under resourced, lower income areas. The objectives of this study were to construct a comprehensive profile of youth physical activity opportunities and contrast profile characteristics between lower and higher income neighborhoods. Youth physical activity opportunities in eight lower (median household income <$36,000) and eight higher (>$36,000) income neighborhoods were identified and described using interviews, neighborhood tours, site visits, and systematic searches of various sources (e.g., Internet). Lower income neighborhoods had a greater number of locations offering youth physical activity opportunities but similar quantities of amenities. Lower income neighborhoods had more faith-based locations and court, trail/path, event, and water-type amenities. Higher income neighborhoods had significantly more for-profit businesses offering youth physical activity opportunities. Funding for youth physical activity opportunities in lower income neighborhoods was more likely to come from donations and government revenue (e.g., taxes), whereas the majority of youth physical activity opportunities in the higher income neighborhoods were supported by for-profit business revenue. Differences between lower and higher income neighborhoods in the type and amenities of youth physical activity opportunities may be driven by funding sources. Attention to these differences could help create more effective and efficient strategies for promoting physical activity among youth.

School-based friendship networks and children's physical activity: A spatial analytical approach

Despite the known health benefits, the majority of children do not meet physical activity guidelines, with past interventions to increase physical activity yielding little success. Social and friendship networks have been shown to influence obesity, smoking and academic achievement, and peer-led interventions have successfully reduced the uptake of adolescent smoking. However, the role of social networks on physical activity is not clear. This paper investigates the extent to which friendship networks influence children’s physical activity, and attempts to quantify the association using spatial analytical techniques to account for the social influence.

Physical activity data were collected for 986 children, aged 10–11 years old, from 40 schools in Bristol, UK. Data from 559 children were used for analysis. Mean accelerometer counts per minute (CPM) and mean minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day (MVPA) were calculated as objective measures of physical activity. Children nominated up to 4 school-friends, and school-based friendship networks were constructed from these nominations.

Networks were tested to assess whether physical activity showed spatial dependence (in terms of social proximity in social space) using Moran’s I statistic. Spatial autoregressive modelling was then used to assess the extent of spatial dependence, whilst controlling for other known predictors of physical activity. This model was compared with linear regression models for improvement in goodness-of-fit.

Results indicated spatial autocorrelation of both mean MVPA (I = .346) and mean CPM (I = .284) in the data, indicating that children clustered in friendship groups with similar activity levels. Spatial autoregressive modelling of mean MVPA concurred that spatial dependence was present (ρ = .26, p < .001), and improved model fit by 31% on the linear regression model. These results demonstrate an association between physical activity levels of children and their school-friends, and indicate that spatial modelling is an informative method for incorporating the influence of school social structure into physical activity analysis.

Influences of social support, perceived barriers, and negative meanings of physical activity on physical activity in middle school students

BACKGROUND

A profound decline in physical activity occurs in puberty. This phenomenon is not well understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine associations between family/friend social support for physical activity, negative meanings of physical activity (NMPA), and internal /external barriers to physical activity with moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and sedentary and light behavior (SLB) in youth.

METHODS

A total of 350 participants from 7 Los Angeles County middle schools participated in the study (62% Latina, 79% females). Hypothesized pathways were examined using structural equation modeling. Psychosocial variables and participation in MVPA and SLB were assessed by self-reported questionnaires.

RESULTS

NMPA were related to lower levels of family/friend social support and greater internal/external barriers. Family social support was the only significant indicator of MVPA (β=0.79). Low family social support was related to higher SLB (β=-0.25).

CONCLUSIONS

Family social support seems crucial to promote MVPA and reduce SLB in adolescents and might be influenced by child's feelings about physical activity. Future research should consider the interrelationship between psychosocial correlates of physical activity.

The neighborhood and home environments: disparate relationships with physical activity and sedentary behaviors in youth

BACKGROUND

To increase participation in physical activity, it is important to understand the factors associated with a child's choice to be physically active or sedentary. The neighborhood and home environments may be related to this choice.

PURPOSE

To determine whether the neighborhood environment or number of televisions in the home environment are independently associated with child physical activity and television time.

METHODS

The associations of the neighborhood and home environments on active and sedentary behaviors were studied in 44 boys and 44 girls who wore accelerometers and recorded their television watching behaviors. Neighborhood environment variables were measured using extensive geographic information systems analysis.

RESULTS

Hierarchical regression analyses were used to predict physical activity after controlling for individual differences in age, socioeconomic status, percentage overweight, and time the accelerometer was worn in Step 1. Sex of the child was added in Step 2. A neighborhood design variable, street connectivity, accounted for an additional 6% (p <or= .01) of the variability in physical activity in Step 3. A block of variables including a measure of neighborhood land use diversity, percentage park area, and the interaction of Percentage Park Area x Sex then accounted for a further 9% (p <or= .01) of the variability in physical activity in Step 4. Increased access to parks was related to increased physical activity in boys but not in girls. The number of televisions in the home accounted for 6% (p <or= .05) of the variability in television watching behavior. Neighborhood environment variables did not predict television watching that occurs in the home.

CONCLUSION

The neighborhood environment is more strongly associated with physical activity of boys than girls. Sedentary behaviors are associated with access to television in the home environment. To promote physical activity in children, planners need to design environments that support active living and parents should limit access to television viewing in the home.

Determinants of physical activity among Taiwanese adolescents: an application of the health promotion model

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among interpersonal influences (i.e., social support, norms, modeling), behavior-specific cognitions (i.e., self-efficacy, perceived benefits/barriers), competing demands, and physical activity among Taiwanese adolescents (N = 832). The results from structural equation modeling indicated that perceived self-efficacy was the most important predictor of physical activity. Interpersonal influences, when considered in total, had a weak and nonsignificant direct effect on physical activity but had indirect effects on physical activity thorough perceived benefits and perceived self-efficacy. When sources of interpersonal influences were considered separately, parental influences did not have direct effects on physical activity. In contrast, peers did have a significant direct effect on physical activity and also indirect influences on physical activity through perceived self-efficacy. All variables accounted for 30% of the variance in physical activity. Results of this study identify important influences useful to health professionals for promoting physical activity in this population.

A review of correlates of physical activity of children and adolescents

BACKGROUND

Understanding the factors that influence physical activity can aid the design of more effective interventions. Previous reviews of correlates of youth physical activity have produced conflicting results.

METHODS

A comprehensive review of correlates of physical activity was conducted, and semiquantitative results were summarized separately for children (ages 3-12) and adolescents (ages 13-18). The 108 studies evaluated 40 variables for children and 48 variables for adolescents.

RESULTS

About 60% of all reported associations with physical activity were statistically significant. Variables that were consistently associated with children's physical activity were sex (male), parental overweight status, physical activity preferences, intention to be active, perceived barriers (inverse), previous physical activity, healthy diet, program/facility access, and time spent outdoors. Variables that were consistently associated with adolescents' physical activity were sex (male), ethnicity (white), age (inverse), perceived activity competence, intentions, depression (inverse), previous physical activity, community sports, sensation seeking, sedentary after school and on weekends (inverse), parent support, support from others, sibling physical activity, direct help from parents, and opportunities to exercise.

CONCLUSION

These consistently related variables should be confirmed in prospective studies, and interventions to improve the modifiable variables should be developed and evaluated.

Physical activity pattern in men and women at the ages of 16 and 34 and development of physical activity from adolescence to adulthood

The aim of this study was to investigate gender-related differences in physical activity patterns at the ages of 16 and 34 and to analyse those factors that might contribute to an explanation of physical activity habits in adulthood. A randomly selected group, consisting of 220 boys and 205 girls, was tested in 1974 and reinvestigated in 1992 by means of a questionnaire. Eighty-eight per cent participated in the reinvestigation. At the age of 16 more boys (69%) than girls (51%) participated in some sports activity in their leisure time. The results showed an overall decrease in participation in vigorous physical activity, although participation in light physical activity remained relatively constant. At the age of 34, there was no difference in overall physical activity between men and women, but the men exercised more vigorously (44% vs. 29%). Early experience of physical activity at the age of 16 decreased the risk of becoming inactive in adulthood. At the age of 34 cohabiting for the men, and having children and high socio-economic class for the women, increased the risk of being physically inactive in adulthood, whereas positive beliefs about health effects of exercise decreased the risk for both men and women.