Parental modelling has a sustainable effect on offspring's physical activity: the SOPHYA cohort

Children are likely to imitate their parent's behavior, a concept known as parental modelling. This analysis embedded in the longitudinal SOPHYA cohort investigates whether mother's and father's measured or reported physical activity (PA) is cross-sectionally and predictively associated with their offspring's measured or reported PA behavior. It assesses whether this association is independent of socioeconomic and physical neighborhood characteristics.

In the population-based SOPHYA cohort, a sub-sample of 356 children and adolescents aged 6 to 16 at the onset were asked to wear accelerometers for 7 days at baseline (2014) and follow-up (2019). In parallel, valid parental accelerometer data was obtained at baseline. Information on children's, adolescent's and parent's sports club and cycling habits as well as parental support was available from self-reported questionnaires answered during the accelerometry weeks. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models assessed the cross-sectional and predictive associations between parent's PA behavior and their offspring's accelerometer-based physical activity, cycling and participation in organised sport. The models were incrementally adjusted for the perceived physical environment (PE) and the socioeconomic environment index (SEP).

Having a mother who meets PA guidelines for moderate and vigorous activity (MVPA) was predictively associated with children's MVPA at follow-up (coefficient 5.3; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.1; 10.3). Children of these mothers were less likely to be continuously active below the median (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.5 (0.3; 1.0)) and more likely to be continuously active above the median MVPA (OR 1.7(1.0; 3.1) compared to the same age and sex peers. Children of cycling fathers were also less likely to be active below median MVPA at both assessments (OR 0.4(0.2; 0.9) exhibited. The predictive positive associations of mother's meeting PA guidelines and father's cycling with their children's MVPA depended on the child's sex.

Parental role modelling influences children's PA behavior in a sustainable and sex-specific manner from childhood to young adulthood. PA interventions for parents have the potential for transgenerational benefits.