The Effect Of Peer Influence On The Amount Of Physical Activity Performed In 8-12 Year Old Boys.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Recent research suggests that both lean and overweight children may be more likely to engage in physical activity when with peers versus when alone. However, this previous research has not indicated the weight of the children's peers and relies primarily on self-report data. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the amount and enjoyment of physical activity lean and at-risk-for/overweight children perform in a controlled setting under three different peer conditions; alone, with a peer who is of similar weight and with a peer of different weight. METHODS: 12 lean (BMI < 85th%, 10.0 ± 1.4 years) and 12 at-risk-for/overweight (BMI ≥ 85th%, 10.8 ± 1.6 years) children participated in three separate peer conditions; alone, with a similar-weight peer, and with a different-weight peer. During each peer condition, children had access to both physical and sedentary activities for 30 minutes. Total accelerometer counts, sedentary and physical activity time and enjoyment (via liking scores) for each session were recorded. RESULTS: Group (lean, at-risk-for/overweight) by peer condition ANOVAs demonstrated significant interactions for accelerometer counts (P = 0.008), sedentary activity time (P = 0.017) and liking (P = 0.009). At-risk-for/overweight boys (0.9 ± 0.4 × 10 + 5 counts, 7.7 ± 6.6 min) accumulated fewer (P = 0.001) accelerometer counts and participated in greater amounts (P = 0.01) of sedentary time than lean boys (1.4 ± 4.6 × 10 + 5 counts, 1.24 ± 3.7 min) in the alone condition with no differences between groups in the with-peer conditions (P ≥ 0.50). At-risk-for/overweight boys significantly increased liking scores from the alone condition to the with different weight peer condition (7.7 ± 1.9 cm to 9.3 ± 0.9 cm, P = 0.003), while liking scores for the lean boys were not significantly altered (8.2 ± 1.9 cm to 7.4 ± 3.2 cm, P = 0.262). CONCLUSIONS: At-risk-for/overweight boys were less active than lean boys when alone but as active when a peer was present. Additionally, the presence of a lean peer significantly increased the at-risk-for/overweight boys liking for that activity session. These results suggest a potentially greater need for peer interaction to increase physical activity and liking of that activity in at-risk-for/overweight boys relative to their lean counterparts.