Family Matters: Specific Type(s) of Family Support in Adolescent Physical Activity Levels

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study investigates the relationships between five types of family support and adolescent PA levels during periods of time when adolescents have more control (or agency) over the activities in which they participate, i.e., after school and weekend hours. METHODS: In a sample of 291 adolescents (144 females, 147 males), seven psychosocial variables were examined in relation to accelerometry-derived PA measured after school and during the weekend. Psychosocial variables were measured via a questionnaire based on Welk's (1999) Youth Physical Activity Promotion Model. The Actigraph 7164 was used to obtain PA measures, i.e., agency moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and agency total PA. Co-variates included % BF measured using a Hologic DXA scanner, centered age, and maturity predicted using the Mirwald equations. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to assess bi-variate associations. Stepwise linear regression analyses with forward selection were conducted to determine which combinations of the study variables (psychosocial indices, type(s) of family support, co-variates) explained the variance in Agency MVPA and Agency TA. The p-value was set at < 0.05. RESULTS: For adolescent females, % BF and maturity were significant co-variates, while centered age and % BF were significant co-variates for adolescent males. Family support demonstrated the strongest associations with female and male adolescent Agency PA variables (r = 0.27 to 0.40). Stepwise linear regressions revealed that being praised by a family member and % BF explained 13% of the variance in adolescent female Agency MVPA, while being praised and maturity explained 7% of the variance in Agency TA. For adolescent males, having a family member watch him participate combined with % BF and centered age to explain 13% of the variance in Agency MVPA, while having a family member participate with him explained 6.4% of the variance in Agency TA. CONCLUSION: Public health officials should encourage family members to provide specific type(s) of support in an effort to positively alter adolescents' PA behavior during agency times. Supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (R01-DE12101; R01-DE09551); General Clinical Research Centers Program (M01-RR00059); National Center for Research Resources (UL1 RR024979)