Associations between socioeconomic status and physical activity: A cross-sectional analysis of Chinese children and adolescents

OBJECTIVES: Although socioeconomic status (SES) has been shown to be an important determinant of physical activity (PA) in adults, the association in children and adolescents remains less consistent based on evidence from western developed countries. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to investigate associations between SES and PA among Chinese children and adolescents. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a self-reported questionnaire in China. The multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method was used, and 2,955 children and adolescents (8–17 years old, 53.4% girls) were enrolled in this study. SES was assessed by measuring parental education levels, perceived family wealth, and Family Affluence Scale II (FAS II). PA was assessed by reliable and valid items from the Health Behavior School-aged Children Surveillance questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to report sample characteristics, including demographic characteristics, levels of PA, and SES. The Chi-square test was applied to analyze the differences of PA in gender and school period. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the association between SES and PA among children and adolescents. RESULTS: Overall, 10.4% of children and adolescents accumulated moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at least 60 min per day. Boys were more physically active than girls (14.1% vs. 7.2%, p < 0.001). Higher socioeconomic status was positively associated with higher physical activity levels among children and adolescents, especially using FAS and mother education level as SES measures. The association between SES and PA varied by gender and grade group, and the effects of SES are also different on weekdays and weekends. CONCLUSION: This study found socioeconomic disparities in PA among Chinese children and adolescents, and showed the importance of targeting children and adolescents with low SES intervention priority. Based on these research findings, it is suggested that SES, especially for FAS and mother education level, should be considered when designing and implementing the promotion of regular PA in children and adolescents. Health policymakers may use this information to develop interventions to reduce health inequalities among children and adolescents in the future.