Parent-Child Associations in Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour: The FAMIPASS Study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Behavioral Science
• Kinesiology

Background:

• Understanding parent-child influences on movement behaviors is crucial for promoting healthy lifestyles.
• Objectively measured data provides a more accurate assessment of physical activity and sedentary time.
• Previous research has explored familial links in physical activity, but objective measures in diverse family structures are less common.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine parent-child associations in objectively measured sedentary behavior and physical activity (PA).
• To identify factors associated with children meeting PA recommendations.
• To explore differences in movement behaviors between genders and parents.

Main Methods:

• Utilized ActiGraph accelerometers to collect objective data on sedentary behavior and PA from 381 families.
• Employed Spearman's rho for parent-child association analysis and backward logistic regression for identifying factors related to meeting PA recommendations.
• Included mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons from randomly selected schools and kindergartens.

Main Results:

• Girls exhibited more light PA; boys showed higher moderate-to-vigorous PA.
• Mothers had higher total PA levels than fathers due to less sitting and more light PA.
• Stronger father-son total PA association was observed compared to mother-son.
• Children aged 6-10 and those with more vigorous maternal PA were more likely to meet PA recommendations.

Conclusions:

• Parental movement behaviors, particularly maternal vigorous PA, significantly influence children's adherence to PA guidelines.
• Objective measurement reveals distinct gender and parent-specific patterns in sedentary time and physical activity.
• Targeting parental engagement in vigorous activity may be an effective strategy to enhance children's physical activity levels.