A cross-sectional study of the relationship between parents’ and children’s physical activity

BACKGROUND: Though parents’ physical activity (PA) is thought to be a predictor of children’s PA, findings have been mixed. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between pedometer-measured steps/day of parents’ and their children and potential moderators of this relationship. We also assessed the parent–child PA relationship as measured by questionnaires. METHODS: Six-hundred and twelve 7–8 year olds and one of their parents wore Steps Count (SC)-T2 pedometers for four consecutive days. Parents reported their PA from the last seven days and their child’s usual PA. Hierarchical linear regressions were used to assess the parent–child PA relationships, controlling for covariates. Gender (parent, child), gender homogeneity, weight status (parent, child), weight status homogeneity, and socioeconomic status (SES) variables (parent education, household income, area-level SES) were tested as potential moderators of this relationship. Partial r’s were used as an estimate of effect size. RESULTS: Parents’ steps was significantly related to children’s steps (r (partial) = .24). For every 1,000 step increase in parents’ steps, the children took 260 additional steps. None of the tested interactions were found to moderate this relationship. Using questionnaires, a relatively smaller parent–child PA relationship was found (r (partial) = .14). CONCLUSION: Physically active parents tend to have physically active children. Interventions designed to get children moving more throughout the day could benefit from including a parent component. Future research should explore the mechanisms by which parents influence their children, and other parent attributes and styles as potential moderators.