Associations of Parenthood with Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Sleep

The association between the child's age and mothers' physical activity: results from the population-based German National Cohort study

BACKGROUND

Since physical activity is an important determinant of physical and mental health, lower levels of physical activity among mothers reported in previous research are concerning. The aim of this study was to examine whether physical activity levels differ among mothers depending on the age of the youngest child.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data from the German National Cohort study, comprising 3959 mothers aged 22-72 years with offspring aged 0-54 years (grouped into 0-5, 6-11, 12-17, 18-29 and > 30 years) was used. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) was used to assess physical activity among mothers in leisure time, transport and (occupational and non-occupational) work settings, quantified as MET-minutes per week. Means (with 95% confidence interval) of mothers' weekly MET-minutes were visualized in graphs, stratified by mothers' and the youngest child's age. Linear regression analyses assessed the association between the child's age and self-reported time and intensity of mothers' physical activity within each activity domain and for the total physical activity.

RESULTS

Adjusted results suggested that the MET-minutes in work settings were lower among mothers with younger children. This association was clearest in mothers whose youngest child was under 12 years old, among whom lower self-reported physical activity at work compared to mothers with children at age 30 and older was found. No association was observed between the age of the youngest child and mothers' MET-minutes in leisure nor in transport settings. The self-reported physical activity of mothers whose youngest child was in the same child age group was found to be lower with increased maternal age. As expected, the work related activity dominated the self-reported physical activity.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show differences in mothers' self-reported physical activity by the age of the youngest child. The strongest difference was related to physical activity in work settings, indicating the need for supportive actions.

Parous women perform less moderate to vigorous physical activity than their nulliparous peers: a population-based study in Denmark

OBJECTIVES

The World Health Organization (WHO) highlights parous women as a key population for monitoring trends of physical activity (PA). We aimed to estimate the proportion of Danish women non-adhering to WHO PA guidelines in parous women compared with nulliparous women and to describe leisure-time PA intensity in each of these groups.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

METHODS

This population-based study builds on a sample of 27,668 women aged 16-40 years from the Danish National Health Survey 2021. These data were linked with childbirth data from the Danish National Birth Registry. The primary outcome was self-reported weekly hours of moderate to vigorous leisure-time PA (MVPA) dichotomized into: (i) adhering to WHO guidelines for MVPA or (ii) not adhering to WHO guidelines for MVPA. Binomial regression analysis was used to calculate prevalence proportions (PP) and prevalence proportion ratios (PPR).

RESULTS

Of the 27,668 women, a total of 20,022 were included; 9338 (46.6%) parous women and 10,684 (53.4%) nulliparous women. The PP of women non-adhering to WHO PA guidelines was 63.8% (95% CI 62.9-64.8) for parous and 51.3% (95% CI 50.4-52.3) for nulliparous women, corresponding to a PPR of 1.24 (95% CI 1.21; 1.27).

CONCLUSIONS

The proportion of parous women who did not adhere to WHO PA guidelines for MVPA was 24% higher than that of nulliparous women. This highlights parous women as a subgroup of the adult population at increased risk of non-adherence to WHO PA guidelines. These findings call for future research to inform new strategies aiming to promote PA in parous women.

The Annual Rhythms in Sleep, Sedentary Behavior, and Physical Activity of Australian Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Sleep, sedentary behavior, and physical activity have fundamental impacts on health and well-being. Little is known about how these behaviors vary across the year.

PURPOSE

To investigate how movement-related behaviors change across days of the week and seasons, and describe movement patterns across a full year and around specific temporal events.

METHODS

This cohort study included 368 adults (mean age = 40.2 years [SD = 5.9]) who wore Fitbit activity trackers for 12 months to collect minute-by-minute data on sleep, sedentary behavior, light physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Data were analyzed descriptively, as well as through multilevel mixed-effects linear regression to explore associations with specific temporal cycles (day-of-the-week, season) and events.

RESULTS

Movement patterns varied significantly by day-of-the-week and season, as well as during annual events like Christmas-New Year and daylight saving time (DST) transitions. For example, sleep was longer on weekends (+32 min/day), during autumn and winter relative to summer (+4 and +11 min/day), and over Christmas-New Year (+24 min/day). Sedentary behavior was longer on weekdays, during winter, after Christmas-New Year, and after DST ended (+45, +7, +12, and +8 min/day, respectively). LPA was shorter in autumn, winter, and during and after Christmas-New Year (-6, -15, -17, and -31 min/day, respectively). Finally, there was less MVPA on weekdays and during winter (-5 min/day and -2 min/day, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Across the year, there were notable variations in movement behaviors. Identifying high-risk periods for unfavorable behavior changes may inform time-targeted interventions and health messaging.

Re-considering the Role of Sleep Hygiene Behaviours in Sleep: Associations Between Sleep Hygiene, Perceptions and Sleep

BACKGROUND

Sleep hygiene behaviours are a suggested set of behaviours people can engage in to improve sleep. However, there are numerous issues relating to the measurement of sleep hygiene, primarily, the lack of consensus as to which behaviours impact sleep and should therefore be included in scales.

METHOD

Cross-sectional correlational methods were used to assess the association between sleep quality, a highly inclusive range of sleep hygiene behaviours, and individual perceptions of those behaviours in a non-clinical sample of 300 participants.

RESULTS

Of the 35 sleep hygiene behaviours assessed, 18 were independently associated with sleep quality. Post-hoc factor analysis revealed that behaviours clustered together across four factors. A 'routine' factor included behaviours such as going to bed and waking up at the same time each night, and were important predictors of sleep quality, as were behaviours belonging to the 'perseverative cognition' and 'negative emotionality' factor. Other behaviours related to physiological processes like exposure to sunlight during the day and going to bed hungry were also significantly associated with sleep. Negative perceptions moderated the relationship between daytime exposure to sunlight and sleep.

CONCLUSIONS

Although certain behaviours were significantly related to sleep, almost half were not, supporting the need to examine the association between sleep and behaviours used for sleep hygiene recommendations more critically. Reframing sleep hygiene recommendations into a condensed set of shared underlying mechanisms may be of benefit for the development of sleep hygiene scales and interventions in non-clinical populations.

Better together? Comparing physical activity of parents walking outdoors with and without their child

This study compares the physical activity levels and enjoyment of parents (n ​= ​50; age ​= ​41.8 ​± ​4.0 years) during outdoor, self-paced walking sessions while walking alone and when walking with their 6-to-12-year-old child. Step counts, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), vigorous physical activity, and enjoyment were compared using paired t-tests. Regression modeling was used to examine the impact of children's age and adults' and children's body mass index on the disparity in step counts experienced by adults. Adults attained high percentages of time spent in MVPA while walking alone (99.8%) and when walking with their child (96.6%). However, more of this time was categorized as vigorous physical activity when walking alone (13.6% vs. 3.0%, p ​= ​0.006). Adults' step counts decreased by an average of 6.4% while walking with their child compared to walking alone (p ​< ​0.001). This reduction was greater for parents of younger children (p ​= ​0.004). In obese adults, the reduction in step counts experienced while walking with their child was not as great as the reduction experienced by normal-weight adults (p ​= ​0.042). Although adults obtained higher step counts and vigorous physical activity while walking alone, they enjoyed walking more with their child (p ​< ​0.001). Health practitioners should be aware of this tradeoff when making recommendations for parent-child co-participation in physical activity, and parents may wish to supplement their physical activity obtained while walking with their child(ren) with additional activities that result in vigorous physical activity.

Less Time for Health: Parenting, Work, and Time-Intensive Health Behaviors among Married or Cohabiting Men and Women in the United States

Time spent working or caring for children may reduce the time available for undertaking time-intensive health behaviors. We test competing perspectives about how work hours and the number of children of specific ages will be associated with married or cohabiting men's and women's sleep duration and physical activity. We use data from the 2004 to 2017 waves of the National Health Interview Survey (N = 154,580). In support of the "time availability" perspective, longer work hours and children of any age are associated with shorter sleep hours. However, in support of the "time deepening" perspective, additional hours of work beyond 40 hours per week and children over the age of five are not associated with reduced physical activity. Contrary to our expectations, we did not find gender differences in support of our theories. Our results suggest that the economy of time works differently for sleep and exercise.

How Social Roles Affect Sleep Health during Midlife

This study draws on role theory and the life course perspective to examine how sleep health (duration, quality, and latency) is shaped by social role accumulation (number of roles), role repertoires (role combinations), and role contexts among middle-aged adults. We also examine how the relationships between social roles and sleep health are gendered. We use data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Cohort (N = 7,628). Results show that role accumulation is associated with less sleep and decreased insomnia symptoms, and that role repertoires also impact sleep (e.g., parenthood leads to diminished sleep quantity and quality). There is also evidence that contextual factors related to employment history, marital quality, and parenthood affect sleep health. Furthermore, results reveal that several of the relationships between social roles and sleep are gendered. Taken together, findings demonstrate the utility of examining links between multiple dimensions of social roles and sleep health.

The Association between Adult Sport, Fitness, and Recreational Physical Activity and Number and Age of Children Present in the Household: A Secondary Analysis Using NHANES

Only one in three adults in the United States meets the weekly recommendation for physical activity (PA). The presence of children in the home may restrict adult PA. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between adult moderate and vigorous sport, fitness, and recreational physical activities and the number and age (0-5 and 6-17) of children in their household. Secondary data were drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007-2016. Adults with complete survey data for self-reported moderate (MPA) and vigorous physical activities (VPA), number of children in the home, and other sociodemographic variables were included. The final sample included 2034 adults from 22-65 years of age. Analyses included ANOVAs and separate multivariable regression analyses to determine if the number of children in the household aged 0-5 and 6-17 were significant predictors of weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) after controlling for covariates. For MPA, no differences were found between adult PA regardless of the number and age of children in the home. For VPA, adults with two or more children aged 0-5 reported 80 fewer minutes of weekly VPA (p < 0.05) compared to those with no children or just one child in this age group after controlling for all covariates. Finally, adults with three or more children in the household aged 6-17 reported fifty fewer minutes of weekly VPA (p < 0.05) compared to those with no children, one, or just two in the household. These findings highlight a need to support the vigorous PA behaviors of this population, as the majority of the family-based PA intervention studies to date have primarily focused on family dyads.

Association between parenthood and cardiovascular disease risk: Analysis from NHANES 2011-2016

The objective of this study was to examine the association between parenthood and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among a nationally representative sample of United States adults. A cross sectional analysis was conducted with adults aged 20-59 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2016. Adults were classified as parents and non-parents based on the presence of children birth-17 years in the home. CVD risk factors assessed included: physical inactivity, obesity, blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, glycohemoglobin, and smoking status. Multivariable logistic regression models stratified by sex were used to examine the association between parenthood and each risk factor. 10,908 adults (5,329 [49%] male, weighted mean age 39.6 years) were included. In adjusted analyses, fathers had greater odds of obesity (OR: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.04-1.42) and lower odds of being a current smoker (OR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.68-0.98) compared to non-fathers. Mothers had greater odds of physical inactivity (OR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.03-1.56) and low HDL cholesterol (OR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.06-1.45), and lower odds of being a current smoker (OR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.63-0.96) compared to non-mothers. Parents with younger children in the household tended to have greater odds of CVD risk factors compared to non-parents. No clear patterns emerged in CVD factor risk based on the number of children in the household. Parents are at greater risk for several modifiable CVD risk factors. This illustrates the importance of including parental health promotion in settings that serve children and implementing policies that support parental health and wellbeing.

Changes in Active Behaviours, Physical Activity, Sedentary Time, and Physical Fitness in Chilean Parents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Study

Strategies to reduce the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have caused different behavioural modifications in all populations. Therefore, this study aimed to determine changes in active commuting, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), physical fitness, and sedentary time during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chilean parents. Eighty-six fathers (41.30 ± 6.82 years) and 294 mothers (40.68 ± 6.92 years) of children from different schools from Valparaíso, Chile, participated. Inclusion criteria were adults with schoolchildren who were resident in Chile during the research period. Convenience sampling was used as a non-probabilistic sampling technique. Respondents completed a self-reported online survey about active commuting, MVPA, self-perceived physical fitness, and sedentary time July–September 2020 during the first pandemic period. Comparisons between before and during the pandemic were performed using t-tests and covariance analysis (ANCOVA), establishing a significance level at p < 0.05. Most participants stayed at home during the pandemic, whereas active and passive commuting significantly decreased in both fathers and mothers (p < 0.001). MVPA and physical fitness scores reduced considerably (p < 0.05), while sedentary time significantly increased (p < 0.05), independent of the sex of parents and children’s school type. Differences by age groups and the number of children were more heterogeneous, as younger parents showed a larger decrease in MVPA (p < 0.05) and physical fitness score (p < 0.05). Additionally, parents with one child showed a larger decrease in sedentary time (p < 0.05) than those with two or more children. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected healthy behaviours. Hence, health policies should promote more strategies to mitigate the long-term health effects of the pandemic on Chilean parents.

Association between Parenthood and Health Behaviour in Later Life-Results from the Population-Based CARLA Study

Previous research has focused on comparing health behaviour between parents and non-parents at younger ages, while little is known about the impact of being a parent on health behaviours in later life. We studied whether parenthood is associated with later physical activity (PA), dietary pattern, smoking status and alcohol consumption in German adults of middle and old age. We used data from the baseline examination of the population-based CARLA-study in Halle (Saale), comprising 1779 adults aged 45-83. Linear and logistic regression analyses assessed the relationship between parenthood and health behaviours while controlling for age, partner status, education, income, occupational position, socioeconomic status in childhood, and number of chronic diseases. Of the participants, 89.1% had biological children. Being a father was associated with higher PA in sports (sport index ß = 0.29, 95% confidence interval [0.14; 0.44]), but not with PA in leisure time (excluding sports), dietary pattern, consumption of alcohol and smoking status. No associations were found between being a mother with all outcome variables. Provided that PA of fathers is typically reduced when the children are young, the development towards higher PA at later age needs to be studied in more detail.

Couple-Based Physical Activity Planning for New Parents: A Randomized Trial

INTRODUCTION

The demands of parenthood may limit the pursuit of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA), establish inactivity patterns into middle age, and lead to long-term poorer health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of a couple-based planning skills intervention to support MVPA from baseline (~2 months after birth) up to 6 months later in first-time parents.

STUDY DESIGN

Randomized trial.

PARTICIPANTS

264 parents (132 couples) at the 2-month point of parenting their first child.

INTERVENTION

Couples were randomized to either an education control (n=58 couples) or an education plus planning condition (n=74 couples).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

MVPA was assessed via accelerometry and self-report at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. Health-related fitness (aerobic fitness, muscular strength, flexibility) and BMI tests were conducted at baseline and 6 months. Rolling recruitment was between 2014 and 2017.

RESULTS

The accelerometry results had large amounts of missing data that were not missing at random, so only self-reported MVPA was analyzed. Dyadic multilevel modeling conducted in 2020 showed that mothers' MVPA had a significant quadratic pattern over time that was similar for both conditions, and BMI decreased while strength and flexibility increased. Fathers did not have significant outcomes. Participants who were not meeting MVPA guidelines at baseline responded to the education plus planning condition with increased MVPA (father B=1.31, mother B=1.14, p<0.05) compared with those who initially met those guidelines.

CONCLUSIONS

Mothers may be more responsive than fathers to MVPA interventions in early parenthood. Already active parents likely have little to be gained from additional intervention. Future research is needed to effectively promote MVPA during fatherhood and identify novel ways to sustain PA past the early response to an intervention.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT02290808.

Household chaos, maternal stress, and maternal health behaviors in the United States during the COVID-19 outbreak

Objectives:

Household chaos, including disorder, noise, and crowding within the home, is a risk factor for poor mental and physical health. Household chaos may act upon maternal behaviors of physical activity and sleep, potentially via higher stress. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationships among household chaos, maternal stress, and maternal physical activity and sleep, and identify barriers to home organization during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study using an online survey of 1721 mothers of preschoolers (ages = 3.0–5.9 years) in the United States was conducted in May 2020 during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and early reopening. Mothers reported demographic characteristics, household chaos, stress, physical activity and sleep, and barriers to home organization during the outbreak. Mediation models were conducted among household chaos, stress, and physical activity and sleep with adjustment for covariates.

Results:

About half of mothers were middle income (48.2%), employed full-time prior to the outbreak (59.1%), and met the physical activity (47.7%), and sleep guideline (49.7%, 7–9 h/day). Household chaos and stress were both negatively related to physical activity and sleep. For every 1 unit increase in mother’s current stress, mothers were 11% (95% confidence interval = 6% to 16%) less likely to meet the physical activity guideline and 19% (95% confidence interval = 14% to 23%) less likely to meet the sleep guideline. Household chaos was positively related to stress. Stress partially mediated the relationship between household chaos and physical activity and sleep. Virus concerns, occupational changes (i.e. teleworking), and lack of childcare were barriers to home organization.

Conclusion:

During the COVID-19 outbreak, many mothers had poor sleep and physical activity, which was associated with household chaos and stress. Opportunities to promote order at the individual, household, and community level may result in beneficial mental and physical health in mothers of young children during the COVID-19 outbreak and beyond.

Postnatal Exercise Partners Study (PEEPS): a pilot randomized trial of a dyadic physical activity intervention for postpartum mothers and a significant other

Background: Research suggests dyadic interventions can increase physical activity; such interventions are untested within postpartum parent couples. Methods: A three-armed pilot randomized trial addressed this gap and tested which type of dyadic intervention is most effective. Inactive postpartum mothers and a significant other were recruited in Australia (n = 143 assessed for eligibility) and randomised in a single-blinded fashion (i.e. participants were blinded) to 1 of 3 dyadic conditions involving a single face-to-face session with access to web-based group support: a minimal treatment control (n = 34), collaborative planning group (n = 38), or collaborative planning + need supportive communication group (n = 30). Participants were asked to wear their accelerometers for 8 days and completed self-report measures at baseline, end of intervention (week 4), and follow-up (week 12). We expected dyads in the collaborative planning + need supportive communication group would have the greatest increases in Physical Activity (PA), autonomous motivation, and partners' need supportive behaviours; and decreases in controlled motivation and controlling partner behaviours. Results: Results from 51 dyads using Bayesian actor-partner interdependence models provided some evidence for a small positive effect on total PA at follow-up for postpartum mothers in the collaborative planning group and for partners in the collaborative planning + need supportive communication group. Furthermore, partners in the collaborative planning + need supportive communication group were more likely to engage in some vigorous PA. At follow-up, postpartum mothers in the collaborative planning + need supportive communication group scored lower on personal autonomous reasons. Conclusions: The impact of prior specification mean intervention effects need to be interpreted with caution. Progression to a full trial is warranted.

A Cross-Sectional Examination of Physical Activity, Sedentary Time, and Sleep Between Adults With and Without Children in the Home Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

BACKGROUND

Physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, and sleep are interconnected, promoting optimal health. Few studies have examined these factors holistically. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to capture the 24-hour activity cycles of the US population by examining PA, sedentary behavior, and sleep based on the presence of a child within the home, as well as gender and weight.

METHODS

Cross-sectional health-related variables from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used for analysis. The primary variables were the total and type of PA (recreation, work, and active transportation), sedentary behavior, and sleep. Chi-square and regression models were applied to compare the outcomes across participants' characteristics.

RESULTS

The adults with children within the home reported less recreational PA, more work activity, less sedentary activity, and less sleep, but no differences in total PA. The females with children in the home not only had the lowest levels of recreational activity and sleep, but also the lowest levels of sedentary behavior. The obese individuals with children in the home had less sedentary time than the adults without children in the home, regardless of weight status.

CONCLUSIONS

Unhealthy sleep and PA behaviors are prevalent in adults with children living at home, and women are particularly impacted.

Impact of COVID-19 on Physical Activity Among 10,000 Steps Members and Engagement With the Program in Australia: Prospective Study

BACKGROUND

Physical activity is an important health behavior, due to its association with many physical and mental health conditions. During distressing events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a concern that physical activity levels may be negatively impacted. However, recent studies have shown inconsistent results. Additionally, there is a lack of studies in Australia on this topic.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to investigate changes in physical activity reported through the 10,000 Steps program and changes in engagement with the program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Data between January 1, 2018, and June 30, 2020, from registered members of the 10,000 Steps program, which included 3,548,825 days with step data, were used. The number of daily steps were logged manually by the members or synced automatically from their activity trackers connected to the program. Measures on program usage were the number of new registered members per day, the number of newly registered organizations per day, the number of steps logged per day, and the number of step entries per day. Key dates used for comparison were as follows: the first case with symptoms in Wuhan, China; the first case reported in Australia; the implementation of a 14-day ban for noncitizens arriving in Australia from China; the start of the lockdown in Australia; and the relaxing of restrictions by the Australian Government. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to test for significant differences in number of steps between subgroups, between engagement measures in 2019 versus 2020, and before and after an event.

RESULTS

A decrease in steps was observed after the first case in Australia was reported (1.5%; P=.02) and after the start of the lockdown (3.4%; P<.001). At the time that the relaxing of restrictions started, the steps had already recovered from the lockdown. Additionally, the trends were consistent across genders and age groups. New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, and Victoria had the greatest step reductions, with decreases of 7.0% (P<.001), 6.2% (P=.02), and 4.7% (P<.001), respectively. During the lockdown, the use of the program increased steeply. On the peak day, there were more than 9000 step entries per day, with nearly 100 million steps logged per day; in addition, more than 450 new users and more than 15 new organizations registered per day, although the numbers decreased quickly when restrictions were relaxed. On average per day, there were about 55 new registered users (P<.001), 2 new organizations (P<.001), 25.6 million steps (P<.001), and 2672 log entries (P<.001) more in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.

CONCLUSIONS

The pandemic has had negative effects on steps among Australians across age groups and genders. However, the effect was relatively small, with steps recovering quickly after the lockdown. There was a large increase in program usage during the pandemic, which might help minimize the health impact of the lockdown and confirms the important role of physical activity programs during times of distress and lockdowns.

Cohabiting and becoming a parent: associations with changes in physical activity in the 1970 British cohort study

Background

We examined the association between family–related life events (cohabitation/marriage and becoming a parent) and change in physical activity.

Methods

Longitudinal data (n = 8045) from the 1970 British Cohort Study (30 and 34 years) were included. Life events (beginning cohabitation/marriage and becoming a parent) were reported and coded: 0 no, 1 yes, for each event occurring between 30 and 34 years. Participants reported frequency of participation in leisure-time physical activity at 30 and 34 years (Likert scale: mean change calculated ranging between − 4 and 4). Linear regression models were used to examine the association between life events and physical activity change (comparing individuals experiencing events between 30 and 34 years versus never experiencing the event - excluding participants that experienced previous events – with a final analysis sample of n = 3833 in parenthood analysis; n = 1137 in cohabitation analysis). Interaction terms were used to analyse combined parenthood and cohabitation status. Analyses were adjusted for level of education achieved, ethnicity, country of origin and other life events. ANCOVA was used to examine associations between change in physical activity and child age.

Results

Compared to remaining without children, becoming a parent was associated with a greater reduction in physical activity among men [β:-0.234(95%CI:-0.396 to − 0.072)] but not women [0.126(− 0.048;0.301)]. No associations were found between cohabitation and physical activity. Men who became fathers both while cohabitating [− 0.201(− 0.383;-0.020)] and without cohabiting [− 0.937(− 1.623;-0.250)] experienced greater physical activity declines than those remaining single and without children; the decline was greatest among non-cohabiting fathers. These associations did not differ by child age.

Conclusions

Parenthood appears to differentially impact physical activity for men and women; this association also differs by cohabitation status. Parenthood appears to be most detrimental to physical activity levels among men. Interventions for physical activity could target new or soon-to-be parents, especially fathers. Further analyses with device-measured physical activity data would be valuable to advance understanding of these associations.

Do physical activity levels differ by number of children at home in women aged 25-44 in the general population?

OBJECTIVES

While physical activity is important for health, many women do not meet recommended levels, particularly mothers. The purpose of this study was to assess whether physical activity levels differ by number of children at home in women aged 25-44 in the general US population.

METHODS

This cross-sectional analysis used 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data for females aged 25-44 (N = 6266) from California, Colorado, New York, Texas, and Utah. Ordered logistic regression analysis assessed the relationship between physical activity levels and number of children at home while controlling for state and demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related factors.

RESULTS

About half of participants reported "inactive" or "insufficiently active" physical activity levels and about two-thirds reported having one or more children at home. The results of adjusted analysis indicated that physical activity level was significantly related to having one child (adjusted odds ratio = 0.75, 95% confidence interval = 0.63, 0.89), two children (adjusted odds ratio = 0.79; 95% confidence interval = 0.67, 0.93), and three or more children (adjusted odds ratio = 0.80, 95% confidence interval = 0.67, 0.94) at home.

CONCLUSION

Overall, physical activity levels were significantly related to presence of children at home for women aged 25-44, but increasing number of children at home did not impact effect size. For women aged 25-44 in a primary care setting, a moderate prevalence of inactive or insufficiently active physical activity may be expected. Providers should address physical activity with all patients in this target population during well-visits, but particularly for women with children at home; educate patients about the health benefits of regular physical activity; and provide resources that will help them integrate physical activity into their daily lifestyles.

Relation between Perceived Barrier Profiles, Physical Literacy, Motivation and Physical Activity Behaviors among Parents with a Young Child

Objectives: to reveal distinct subgroups of parents by their perception of 6 types of physical activity barriers and challenges (i.e., lack of time, poor health, lack of company, lack of facilities, childcare responsibility, lack of motivation), and examine its relation with related constructs. Design: cross-sectional survey data. Method: the sample consisted of 424 parents who had at least 1 child of primary school age. Latent profile analysis was conducted to identify latent subgroups within participants. Group differences on physical literacy, autonomous motivation, and self-report physical activity (PA) levels were explored. Results: a four-profile solution was obtained from latent profile analysis, labelled as: “Struggling” (29.0%), “Family burden” (41.3%), “Lazy” (13.0%), and “Barriers free” (16.7%). The “Barriers free” profile experienced the least difficulties with physical activity, but the “Struggling” profile suffered the most severe barriers and challenges. “Family burden” and “Lazy” profiles demonstrated qualitative differences on one or two given challenges. Significant group differences on physical literacy, autonomous motivation, and PA levels were found, showing the “Barriers free” profile as the most robust and adaptive group of parents. Conclusions: the findings suggest that it is common for a substantial portion of parents to experience multiple barriers and challenges to a relatively high degree. Intervention on raising parent’s physical literacy to reduce barriers and sustain their motivation may be a target for intervention.

Becoming a parent: A systematic review and meta-analysis of changes in BMI, diet, and physical activity

Obesity prevalence rises fastest during young adulthood when weight, diet, and physical activity may be influenced by life events, including becoming a parent, but the impact is uncertain. We searched six electronic databases to July 2019 for longitudinal studies (both sexes) aged 15 to 35 years with a prospective pre-pregnancy/parenthood and post-delivery outcome. Of 11 studies (across 15 papers), six studies (women only) were eligible for meta-analysis of the difference in change in body mass index (BMI; kg/m2 ) between remaining without children and becoming a parent. Mean (±SD) BMI gain for non-mothers was 2.8 ± 1.3 kg/m2 (~7.5 kg for 164-cm woman) over 5.6 ± 3.1 years; 12.3% of baseline BMI (22.8 ± 2.5 kg/m2 ). Becoming a mother was associated with an additional BMI increase of 0.47 ± 0.26 kg/m2 (~1.3 kg), 4.3% of baseline BMI (22.8 ± 5.6 kg/m2 ); the one study including men reported no difference in change. Physical activity results were equivocal; 2/4 studies (women) and 2/2 (men) showed a greater decline in parents versus non-parents; diet (three studies) varied by dietary measure, mostly indicating no difference. Becoming a mother is associated with 17% greater absolute BMI gain than remaining childless. Motherhood BMI gain is additional to an alarming BMI increase among young women, highlighting the need for obesity prevention among all young women, including mothers.