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Validity and prognostic value of parental ratings of children's activity
Lisa R Purslow1, Cornelia H M van Jaarsveld, Claudia Semmler
1University College London, London, UK.
Insights
Parental reports of children's physical activity are reliable indicators of activity levels over time. Children perceived as more active at age 4 tend to remain more active at age 11.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Behavioral Science
- Biometry
Background:
- Assessing children's physical activity is crucial for monitoring health and development.
- Parental reports are a common method for measuring physical activity, but their validity and stability over time require investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the temporal stability of parental physical activity reports in children.
- To determine the correlation between parental activity reports and objectively measured physical activity.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study of 322 UK twin children from age 4 to 11.
- Mothers provided activity ratings (enjoyment, habitual level, comparative activity, fidgetiness).
- Objective physical activity was measured using Actigraph accelerometers at age 11.
Main Results:
- Physical activity amount and enjoyment decreased from age 4 to 11.
- Significant temporal correlations (r=0.19–0.52) indicated maintained relative activity levels.
- Parental ratings of habitual activity, enjoyment, and fidgetiness at age 11 correlated significantly with objective activity counts (p<0.05).
Conclusions:
- Parental ratings serve as valid indicators of children's physical activity levels.
- Children's relative physical activity levels are relatively stable from age 4 to 11, as perceived by parents.
Objective:
To determine whether parental reports of children's physical activity are stable over time and correlate with objectively-measured physical activity.
Methods:
Participants were 322 twin children from a large UK twin cohort. When the children were aged 4 (1999) and 11 (2006), mothers rated their activity levels using four different measures. These included children's enjoyment of active pastimes, their habitual activity level, their activity compared with others of the same age and sex and a standard scale for 'fidgetiness'. Children wore an Actigraph (model 7164) for 7 consecutive days at the 11 year follow up from which total physical activity was calculated.
Results:
From age 4 to 11 amount and enjoyment of physical activity declined, but significant temporal correlations over the 7 year interval (range r=0.19 to 0.52) suggested that relative activity level was maintained. Habitual physical activity level, enjoyment of activity and fidgetiness at age 11 were all significantly associated with activity counts (all p values<0.05).
Conclusions:
These results indicate that parental ratings can be valid indicators of children's physical activity, and that children who are perceived to be more active at 4 years are still more active at 11 years.
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