Moderate-Vigorous Physical Activity, Family Support, Peer Support, and Screen Time: An Explanatory Model

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Understanding factors influencing adolescent physical activity and screen time is crucial for effective health promotion.
• Adolescent lifestyle choices, including physical activity and screen time, are shaped by social support systems.
• Investigating these relationships in specific regional contexts, like Soria, Spain, can provide targeted insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an explanatory model detailing the associations between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, screen time, family support, and peer support among adolescents.
• To analyze and contrast this explanatory structural model based on varying physical activity intensities (moderate vs. vigorous).

Main Methods:

• A representative sample of 694 adolescents (aged 12-17) from Soria, Spain, was surveyed.
• Validated instruments including the Four by One-Day Physical Activity Questionnaire, Parent Support Scale, and Peer Support Scale were utilized.
• Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the relationships between key variables.

Main Results:

• The study established a robust theoretical model explaining the interplay between physical activity, screen time, and social support.
• Both moderate-vigorous physical activity and models differentiating moderate and vigorous activity independently proved effective.
• Peer support demonstrated a significant association with physical activity duration, whereas family support was specifically linked to screen time.

Conclusions:

• The developed explanatory model effectively illustrates the relationships between physical activity, screen time, and social support in adolescents.
• Peer support is a key determinant for adolescent physical activity levels.
• Family support plays a distinct and important role in mediating adolescent screen time behaviors.