Parental Support For Physical Activity Research Articles

Do Socialization Tactics Used By College Students Predict Perceived Social Support For Physical Activities Among University Students After COVID 19?

This study examines the relationship between social support and socialization tactics in university students' participation in physical activity (PA) and also evaluates these interactions after the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants of the study consisted of university students between the ages of 18-27. Personal information form, social support scale for physical activity and socialization tactics scale were used in the study. The data of 291 participants were included in the study. Data were analyzed by multiple linear regression analysis in SPSS 22. According to the findings of the study, it was determined that gender, athlete background and educational tactics were associated with parental support for PA (F(9,274)=4.292, p=0.000, adj R2=0.12). There was a association of peer support and having an athletic background with using educational tactics and participating in socialization processes with social tactics (F(9,274)=7.903, p=0.000, adj R2=0.21). The research findings revealed that the increase in parental and peer social support in physical activity participation is realized with the effect of sportive background and educational tactics. Since educational tactics play a decisive role, organizing the campus environment in a way that encourages physical activity participation may have a significant effect on the perception of peer social support. The research shows that sporting background, educational tactics and campus environment are effective for increasing participation in physical activity. Therefore, educators and campus administrators should develop various strategies to support university students' physical activity habits.

A Longitudinal Examination of Direct and Indirect Influences of Parental Behaviors on Child Physical Activity

AbstractMany children do not realize the physical health, mental health, cognitive, and academic benefits of physical activity because they are insufficiently active. Effectively promoting physical activity in children requires understanding the determinants of physical activity. Parent physical activity and support for physical activity have emerged as central influences, but few studies have applied longitudinal designs and device-based measures of child physical activity. The purposes of this cohort study were to examine direct associations between parent physical activity and child physical activity, parent physical activity and parent support for physical activity, and parent support and child physical activity; and to examine indirect associations between parent physical activity and child physical activity, mediated through parent support behaviors. We used structural equation modeling with panel analysis to examine direct and indirect influences of parent physical activity and support on 7th grade children’s physical activity, adjusted for 5th grade levels. Parent surveys were administered at the 5th grade time-point. Parent physical activity indirectly affected child physical activity, mediated through the parent support behavior of providing transportation for physical activity. Parent physical activity was also directly related to four parent support behaviors. Increasing parent support for child physical activity, and possibly parent physical activity, may be effective approaches to increasing child physical activity.

Parental physical activity support for parents of children with disabilities in Saudi Arabia

Physical activity (PA) is crucial for promoting physical, cognitive, and psychosocial health. Unfortunately, children with disabilities spend less time engaging in PA compared to their typically developing peers. Parents play a crucial role in supporting children with disabilities to increase their level of PA. However, there is scant research on the factors linked to parental support for PA among non-Western parents of children with disabilities, particularly in the context of Saudi Arabia. Therefore, to address this gap in the literature, the current study aimed to (i) measure parental support for encouraging PA in children with disabilities in Saudi Arabia, and (ii) examine the demographic factors associated with such support (e.g., family income, age of the child, type of disability, and parents' educational background). The sample included Saudi Arabian parents of children with disabilities (N = 239; fathers: n = 123; mothers: n = 116) who completed the Arabic version of the Parental Physical Activity Support Questionnaire for Parents of Children with Disabilities (PPSQ for PCD). The findings revealed that parental support for children with disabilities to engage in PA typically occurs less than once a week, indicating an inadequate level of support. A generalized linear model analysis demonstrated that several independent demographic variables are associated with overall parental support for PA among children with disabilities: participant age, educational background, parental engagement in PA, age of the child with a disability, disability status, club participation, knowledge of legislation or policies related to the rights of children with disabilities, and number of children in the family. The findings emphasize the significance of raising awareness among parents of children with disabilities to support their children in participating in PA, as well as addressing the barriers that hinder such support.

Parent Support for Physical Activity and Motor Skills During Early Childhood: A Mixed-Methods Application of the Multi-process Action Control Framework.

Promoting physical activity (PA) and fundamental movement skills (FMS) in early childhood is necessary to address the high rates of inactivity in children. Parent support is a determinant of PA in children, however, parental intentions to support are not always translated into behavior resulting in an intention-behavior gap. Positioned within the multi-process action control (M-PAC) framework, this study used an explanatory concurrent mixed-methods design to explore parents' intentions and support of PA and FMS during early childhood. Parents (N=124) of children aged 3-4 years completed an online survey consisting of items assessing reflective (e.g., attitudes), regulatory (e.g., planning), and reflexive (e.g., habit) processes of M-PAC and intentions and support for child PA and FMS. A subset of parents (n=20) completed a semi-structured online interview guided by the M-PAC framework. Significantly more parents intended to support PA (71%) compared with FMS (44%; p<0.001) and successfully translated intentions into action for PA (57%) compared with FMS (27%; p<0.001). Discriminant function analysis showed parent behavior profiles for PA and FMS support were associated with a combination of reflective, regulatory, and reflexive processes, however, these differed based on support behavior. Qualitative findings highlighted parents' differential views on PA and FMS support and contextualized the psychological processes associated with each. Parent PA support interventions during early childhood should include strategies for supporting FMS. Interventions should prioritize fostering a combination of reflective, regulatory, and reflexive behaviors to translate intentions to support PA and FMS into behavior among parents of young children.

"I Can Do It": Perceived Competence of Parents of Autistic Children After Participating in a Physical Activity Intervention.

Autistic children can benefit from physical activity (PA) in a variety of ways. However, autistic children tend not to meet PA recommendations and, consequently, may not experience the associated benefits. Parental PA support can facilitate PA participation among autistic children, but parents of autistic children may lack the skills to help their child engage in PA. Few studies, to date, have examined the outcomes of parent-mediated PA interventions for autistic children. The purpose of this study was to explore parents' perceived behavioral control (PBC) to support their autistic children in PA after their participation in a PA intervention. The theory of planned behavior served as the framework for this descriptive-qualitative investigation. Fifteen parents (each with 1 autistic child in the intervention) participated in semistructured interviews (3wk after the intervention), which were transcribed and then analyzed using thematic line-by-line analysis. Three themes characterized the changes to parents' PBC after completing the PA intervention. Those themes were: (1)I learned by son! (2)You are my coach! and (3)I can do it! The results showed that by participating in a parent-mediated PA intervention, parents experienced improved confidence and awareness of their child's abilities, thus enhancing their PBC. Future research is needed to examine how these improvements in PBC may influence the actual PA behaviors of autistic children.

The Effects of Physical Activity Messages on Physical Activity Support Behaviors and Motivation Among Parents of Children with Disabilities

ABSTRACTPersuasive messages can motivate parent support for physical activity (PA). Many PA messages targeting parents are not necessarily inclusive of parents of children with disabilities (CWD). Guided by the theory of planned behavior and multi-process action control model, the relative effects of PA messages were examined among parents of CWD. Parents (N = 135) were randomized to view one of four PA messages. Parent support for PA and various psychosocial antecedents were assessed before and after message viewing, along with message preference. Baseline parent support for PA acted as a moderator on the effects of messages. Effects of messages did not differ between message conditions. Overall message effects were observed for attitudes, subjective norms and planning. Parent support for PA increased only among parents with low baseline parent support and the inclusive message was most preferred. This study can inform the development of PA messages targeting this population.

Improved Perceptions of Parental Support for Physical Activity and Healthy Eating among Young Adolescents During COVID 19 pandemic

Family routines play a key role in promoting child health behaviors. This study aims to 1) describe changes in children’s perceptions of physical activity (PA) and healthy eating family routines across three time points: pre-pandemic (2017-2020), early pandemic (2020), and mid-pandemic (2021); and 2) explore the role of pandemic-related economic stressors on these changes. Children’s perceptions of family routines were assessed using four scales adapted from the Comprehensive Home Environment Survey: PA-policies, Diet-policies, Diet-rules, and PA-Diet-role-model. Child age and sex were assessed at pre-pandemic, and household members’ employment loss and poverty levels were assessed during pandemic. Linear mixed models were used to assess changes and associated factors for each scale. Children (N=277) aged 8-13 y were enrolled pre-pandemic. Children’s perceptions of PA-policies and Diet-policies increased significantly from pre-pandemic to early-pandemic (b=0.9 and 2.4, respectively) and pre- to mid-pandemic (b=0.8 and 1.2, respectively). Diet-rules decreased significantly from pre- to early (b=-1.5) and pre- to mid-pandemic (b=-2.3), with no PA-Diet-role-model changes. Older children, compared to younger, had a faster decrease in Diet-policies from pre- to early pandemic. Females, compared to males, had a faster decrease in Diet-rules from pre- to mid-pandemic. Economic stressors were not associated with changes in perceived routines. Overall, children reported increased parental policies to support PA and healthy eating and decreased parental rules to regulate child eating behaviors during the pandemic. Future mixed methods research is needed to understand how changes in parental support on family routines relate to PA and healthy eating behaviors.

Co-Creation of a School-Based Motor Competence and Mental Health Intervention: Move Well, Feel Good.

Low motor competence (MC) and inhibited psychosocial development are associated with mental health difficulties. Improving children's MC through school-based physical activity interventions emphasising psychosocial development may therefore be a mechanism for promoting positive mental health. This study describes and provides reflective insights into the co-creation of 'Move Well Feel Good', a primary school physical activity intervention to improve children's MC and mental health. Class teachers, school leaders, physical activity specialists, and children (aged 8-9 years) participated in a series of co-creation workshops. Stakeholders' knowledge and experiences were integrated with existing research evidence using creative methods (e.g., post-it note tasks, worksheets, and drawings) to facilitate discussion. The co-creation process culminated in stakeholder consensus voting for one of three proposed intervention ideas. Children cited physical and mental health benefits, enjoyment with friends, and high perceived competence as motives for being physically active. Opportunities to develop MC across the different segments of the school day were identified by adult stakeholders, who perceived children's lack of resilience, an overloaded curriculum, and poor parental support for physical activity as barriers to intervention implementation. The chosen intervention idea received six out of a possible twelve votes. Co-creation projects are specific to the contexts in which they are implemented. This study reinforces the complex nature of school-based intervention development and highlights the value of engaging with stakeholders in co-creation processes.

Parental support for physical activity and children’s physical activities: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundPhysical activity (PA) in school-aged children is imperative for physical and mental development. However, there has been reduced PA among children in recent years owing to environmental changes, resulting in declining physical strength and athletic ability. Although parents’ and children’s PA has been found to be correlated, the specific parental caregiving attitudes associated with children’s actual levels of PA during school-age years remain unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between parental support for PA and children’s levels of PA.MethodsIn 2017, a self-reported questionnaire survey was administered to 1,515 third-grade students (8–9 years old) and their caregivers in Nagoya, Aichi, a major metropolitan area in Japan. The main items surveyed included the attitudes of children and parents towards PA and the children’s actual PA level. Multiple regression analysis was conducted with parental involvement related to PA as the explanatory variable and children’s PA as the objective variable.ResultsIn total, 717 children with valid responses were included in the analysis. The mean age of the children was 9.08 ± 0.33 years; 366 (51.0%) were boys, and 351 (49.0%) were girls. For moderate-to-vigorous and vigorous PA, PA levels tended to be significantly higher in children whose parents provided logistic support such as enrolling their children in a sports club. However, for moderate PA and walking, PA levels tended to be significantly higher in children whose parents used community resources. Modeling and limiting sedentary activities were not associated with children’s PA.ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest that direct parental assistance for PA such as logistic support encourages children to engage in moderate-to-vigorous PA; in addition, parental use of community resources may encourage children to engage in moderate and light PA such as walking. Conversely, indirect and negative involvement such as modeling and limiting sedentary activities were not associated with children’s PA. Therefore, logistic support may need to be strengthened to encourage moderate-to-vigorous and vigorous PA, which is important for children’s health.

Physical Activity of Children and Adolescents in Croatia: A Global Matrix 4.0 Systematic Review of Its Prevalence and Associated Personal, Social, Environmental, and Policy Factors.

The previous review of physical activity (PA) among Croatian children and adolescents was conducted a decade ago. Therefore, the aim of this study was to summarize recent evidence on PA of Croatian children and adolescents and associated personal, social, environmental, and policy factors. Eighteen experts reviewed the available evidence and provided ratings (from the lowest grade "F" to the highest grade "A+") for the 10 Global Matrix indicators. A systematic search with 100 keywords was conducted in Hrčak, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science for documents published from January 01, 2012, to April 15, 2022. We also conducted internet searches and secondary analyses of data (relative frequencies) from 6 studies. After assessing 7562 references, we included 90 publications in the review and 18 studies (83.3% of medium-to-good quality) in evidence synthesis. We found a high prevalence of insufficient PA (especially among girls) and excessive screen time (especially among boys). PA participation of children and adolescents in Croatia has declined over time. The following grades were assigned to the indicators for Croatia: B- for overall PA, C- for organized sport and PA, C for active play, C- for active transportation, D+ for sedentary behavior, inconclusive for physical fitness, D+ for family and peers, B- for school, B- for community and environment, and D+ for government. Coordinated actions are needed across sectors to improve PA promotion, with a focus on increasing PA among girls, reducing sedentary screen time among boys, improving parental support for PA, and further development of national PA policies.

Stumbling Block in Providing Physical Activity Support Among Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Moderated Mediation Analysis.

Physical activity (PA) benefits children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Evidence suggests that some barriers impede parents from providing PA support for their children with ASD. Parental perceived stigma is one of these barriers. However, few studies have explored how parental perceived stigma influences parental PA support. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between parental perceived stigma and parental PA support, the mediating role of parental self-efficacy, and the moderating effect of having other typically developing children or not. A total of 274 participants were recruited to participate in the study. The results showed that parental self-efficacy mediated the association between parental perceived stigma and parental PA support and the moderating effect of having other typically developing children or not.

Life satisfaction and parental support among secondary school students in Urumqi: the mediation of physical activity.

This study is aimed to analyze the relationship between parental support, physical activity and life satisfaction among secondary school students in Urumqi city, and also to explore the mediating role of physical activity in the relationship between life satisfaction and parental support among secondary school students. A questionnaire survey was conducted from December 2021 to January 2022, using a stratified whole-group random sampling method among 2,474 secondary school students aged 11-18 years in Urumqi city, including a general demographic questionnaire, a Chinese version of the Child and Adolescent Physical Activity Questionnaire, Chinese version of the Child and Adolescent Parental Support Scale, and the Multidimensional Student Life Satisfaction Scale. The Bootstrap mediating effect test was used to test the effect relationship between the variables, and Amos was adopted to analyze the mediating effect of physical activity between secondary school students' life satisfaction and parental support. Secondary school students scored (33.22 ± 5.68) on life satisfaction, (2.11 ± 0.64) on physical activity, (24.85 ± 4.31) on the mother's roll and (24.73 ± 4.40) on the father's roll. Maternal support was a significant direct predictor of life satisfaction (β=0.303, t=11.893, P<0.01). Maternal support was a positive predictor of physical activity (β=0.027, t = 9.332, P<0.01). And the physical activity was a positive predictor of life satisfaction (β=1.362, t = 7.665, P < 0.01). Paternal support was a significant direct predictor of life satisfaction (β=0.334, t = 13.448, P < 0.01). Paternal support was a positive predictor of physical activity (β=0.030, t = 10.665, P < 0.01). Physical activity was a positive predictor of life satisfaction (β=1.264, t = 7.119, P<0.01). Physical activity had a mediating effect between life satisfaction and parental support (effect values: 11.88% in maternal support and 11.38% in paternal support, respectively). The supportive parental environment of secondary school students in Urumqi can directly influence their life satisfaction and also indirectly influence their life satisfaction by enhancing their physical activity level, and parental support for physical activity of secondary school students should be enhanced to promote their life satisfaction level.

Physical Activity And Screen Time Patterns During The Covid-19 Pandemic: The Role Of School Format.

Schools and communities across the United States shifted between virtual and in-person formats and reduced recreational offerings throughout the 2020-2021 school year due to widespread COVID-19 infection. Early cross-sectional studies indicate children’s physical activity (PA) decreased during the pandemic, but variation may be seen according to school format and seasonal changes in behavior. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to longitudinally assess changes in PA and screen time (ST) behaviors throughout one year of the COVID-19 pandemic and according to changes in school format. Methods: Parents of children ages 6-17y were recruited via email and social media. Most participants (57%) lived in the Midwestern region of the United States. The survey included questions about school format, home characteristics, child PA, child ST, child sleep habits, and parental support of PA. Initial data were collected in November 2020 with follow-up surveys in February, May, and August 2021. Children were first classified according to school format in each season then further grouped based on longitudinal changes in school format (i.e., in-person all year vs. remote to in-person, etc.). PA and ST behaviors were compared by season and school format using repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Overall, children achieved 60 minutes of PA on fewer days in winter (2.4 ± 0.3 days; p < 0.001; n = 176) than compared to fall (3.7 ± 0.3 days; n = 175), spring (3.8 ± 0.3 days; n = 141), and summer (3.8 ± 0.3 days; n = 112). Longitudinal analysis (n = 61) showed that PA was consistently highest among students attending school fully in-person and lowest among students attending remotely, though school format differences did not reach statistical significance. Non-school ST did not differ by season or school format but tended to be highest in winter and amongst students attending school remotely. Conclusion: In general, children demonstrated healthier lifestyle behavior patterns when attending school in-person than when attending school remotely. Seasonal variation in activity followed the expected pattern with the lowest PA in winter. These results provide a unique opportunity to evaluate lifestyle behaviors by school format throughout the year and suggest that students exhibit healthier behavior patterns when school occurs in person.

Parental Support and Concerns About Physical Activities of Their Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder During COVID-19

Parental support is one of the intertwining factors that affect physical activity (PA) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). With multiple COVID-19 regulations that have posed many challenges for people participating in their usual social activities, including PA, there is a need to examine parent concerns and support behaviors for PA of children with ASD. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate how the PA support behaviors of parents of children with ASD and COVID-19 concerns about their children’s PA participation changed during the pandemic and how these variables are correlated with other variables, such as their children’s demographic and PA related variables. Parents (n = 253) of children with ASD aged 10–17 years old completed an online survey that queried their children’s demographic information, parent PA support behaviors, parent and child PA, COVID-19 concerns about their children’s PA participation, and the perceived importance of their children’s PA. The results showed that parents’ COVID-19 concerns for their children participating in PA significantly correlated to the severity of their children’s ASD. Parents who identified as more physically active and perceived their children’s PA participation as more important tended to show higher COVID-19-related concerns. In addition, higher COVID-19 concerns among parents negatively correlated with their children’s PA variables. Parent PA support behaviors showed a significant reduction during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic. Overall, the findings suggest that it is important to provide parents with information on safe PA participation and resources to promote their children’s PA.

Parent Support Is Related to Physical Activity among Children and Youth with Disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from the National Physical Activity Measurement (NPAM) Study

Physical activity (PA) among children and youth with disabilities (CYD) has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Parent PA support and parent PA modelling (i.e., parents engaging in PA themselves) have been shown to be associated with PA in CYD. However, parents’ influence on the PA behaviours of CYD during the pandemic remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between parent PA support and parent PA modelling (i.e., parent moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA)) and the PA behaviours of CYD. It was hypothesized that higher levels of parent PA support and parent PA modelling would significantly relate to both child MVPA and child PA at any intensity. An online survey was sent to parents of CYD in November 2020 (i.e., during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada) that assessed the MVPA and total PA (any intensity), parent PA support (e.g., encouraging PA, providing transportation for PA), and parent MVPA. Separate linear regression models assessed the relationships between parent PA support and parent PA modelling with (a) child MVPA and (b) child PA at any intensity. Parent and child age, child gender and disability group, marital status, and household type were controlled for in all analyses. A total of 86 parents (Mage = 43 years, SD = 5.9; 93% mothers) of CYD (Mage = 11 years, SD = 3.3; 20% girls; 77% with a developmental disability) completed the survey. Parent PA support was significantly associated with child MVPA (β = 0.30, CI = 0.067–0.438, p = 0.008) but not child PA at any intensity. No significant relationship was shown between parent PA modelling and either child MVPA or child PA at any intensity. Findings suggest that parent PA support, but not parent PA modelling, was associated with PA in CYD, at least during the acute period of the pandemic. Greater efforts must be directed towards developing effective parent PA support interventions to reduce the detrimental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on PA in CYD.

Development of a survey measuring parental physical activity support in parents of children with disabilities

Purpose The purposes of the current study were to develop a questionnaire to measure parental physical activity (PA) support in parents of children with disabilities and to examine factors associated with parental PA support. Materials and Methods A questionnaire measuring parental PA support in parents of children with disabilities (PPSQ for PCD), consisting of three constructs (encouragement, co-PA, and logistic support) with 19 items, was initially developed and evaluated by the Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Three independent multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between the three constructs and parental PA orientation variables. Results With the item deletion approach, the final model with 12 items (four items in each construct) was developed, which revealed an excellent model fit ( [df = 51, p = .008], CFI = 0.98, GFI = 0.94. RMSEA = 0.05). The multiple regression analyses revealed that parental orientation variables were differently associated with each construct of the PPSQ for PCD. Conclusions The PPSQ for PCD consists of three constructs, differently associated with parental orientation variables. This questionnaire can be used as an instrument to assess parental PA support. Implications for Rehabilitation The Parental Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) can be used to assess parental physical activity support in parents of children with disabilities. The PPAQ measures three constructs (i.e., types) of parental physical activity support including encouragement, co-physical activity, and logistic support. Parental physical activity orientations (e.g., importance, enjoyment, and behavior) are differently associated with each construct of parental physical activity support.

Parental Factors Associated With Physical Activity Among East Asian Children/Youth: A Meta-Analysis Based on the Active Healthy Kids Report Cards.

Insufficient physical activity (PA) is a leading risk factor for mortality. The Active Healthy Kids Report Cards provide comprehensive evidence related to PA in children/adolescents. Associations of (1) parental support for PA with amount of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) performed by children/adolescents and (2) amount of MVPA performed by parents with amount of MVPA performed by children/adolescents, as indicated by Report Cards, have not been critically synthesized in meta-analysis. We selected data in Asian countries/regions Report Cards and performed meta-analyses to assess pooled associations of influence indicators and behavior indicators among children/adolescents in Asian countries/regions. Our meta-analyses included five studies that assessed association of parental support or MVPA performance with child/adolescent MVPA performance. Positive association was observed between the amount of time spent by parents on MVPA per week, regardless of gender, and the amount of time spent by children and adolescents on MVPA per week (r = .11; I2 = 40%). In East Asia, the amount of MVPA performed by parents appears to be an important factor influencing the participation of children/adolescents in PA.

The Association Between Physical Activity and Mathematical Achievement Among Chinese Fourth Graders: A Moderated Moderated-Mediation Model.

This study explored the association between out-of-school physical activity (PA) and mathematical achievement in relation to mathematical anxiety (MA), as well as the influence of parents’ support for their children’s physical activity on this association, to examine whether parental support for physical activity affects mental health and academic performance. Data were collected from the responses of 22,509 (52.9% boys) children in Grade 4 from six provinces across eastern, central, and western China who completed the mathematics component and the physical education and health component of the national-level education quality assessment. A moderated moderated-mediation model was tested using PROCESS v3.4 and SPSS v19.0, with socioeconomic status, school location, and body mass index as controlled variables. Out-of-school physical activity had a positive effect on children’s mathematical achievement, and math anxiety partially mediated this association. The indices of conditional moderated mediation through the parental support of both girls and boys were, respectively, significant, indicating that children can benefit from physical activity, and that increased perceived parental support for physical activity can alleviate their children’s math anxiety and improve their mathematics, regardless of gender. However, gender differences were observed in the influence of parental support for physical activity on anxiety: Although girls’ math anxiety levels were significantly higher, the anxiety levels of girls with high parental support were significantly lower than those of boys with low parental support.

Environmental and social determinants of leisure-time physical activity in children with autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundIt is increasingly recognized that children's physical activity behaviors are shaped by neighborhood environment factors and their parent's support. However, these factors have been scarcely studied among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a population at risk of inactivity. ObjectiveThis cross-sectional survey study was designed to examine how neighborhood environmental factors and parental support are related to physical activity levels of children with ASD. Also, this study examined if the relationship between the environment and physical activity is modified by demographic factors and COVID-19 related concerns. MethodsAn online survey was completed by parents of children with ASD aged 10–17 years. The questionnaire included items related to environmental factors (i.e., distance to school, distance to park, existence of sidewalks, walkability), parent support for physical activity (i.e., encouraging, watching, and providing transportation), child's physical activity, and demographic characteristics. The instrument also queried parental concerns about COVID-19 and their child's physical activity participation. ResultsThe results indicate that proximity to a local park and to school is positively associated with physical activity. Parent's encouraging behavior correlated with and predicted children's physical activity levels. Also, higher levels of COVID-19 related concerns among parents were related to decreased physical activity supporting behaviors. ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that the neighborhood environment, in particular the distance between home and parks and schools, and parent support behavior are influential factors that may shape physical activity behaviors for children with ASD.

Parental Support, Children's Physical Activity, Dietary Behaviors and Health-Related Quality of Life: Evidence From Three Asian Cities.

Parental support is crucial for children's healthy lifestyle formation. The present study examined the relations between parental support (i.e., encouragement and praise), children's perceived autonomy supportand behaviorsin the domains of physical activity (PA) and diet, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) simultaneously in Asia. Children aged 9 to 12years and their parents (2065 dyads) in three Asian cities completed the respective questionnaires. Children reported perceived PA and dietary autonomy support, PA frequency, dietary behaviors, and HRQoL. Parents reported their PA and dietary support. The relations between parental support, children's perceived autonomy support an behaviors in the PA, and dietary domains as well as HRQoL were examined using multigroup path analyses. Among three cities, the indirect effects of parental support on children's self-report PA or HRQoL via children's perceived PA autonomy support were significant. A hypothetical sequential indirect effect from parental PA support to children's HRQoL via children's perceived PA autonomy support and self-report PA was observed in Hong Kong. In Hong Kong and Taipei samples, the indirect effect of parental PA support on children's HRQoL via children's self-report PA and the indirect effect of children's perceived PA autonomy support on HRQoL via children's self-report PA were significant. In Hong Kong and Shanghai samples, children's perceived dietary autonomy support showed positive effect on HRQoL via healthy food consumption. Congruent findings across three cities suggest that parents should provide support via encouragement and praise to facilitate children's perceived autonomy support and further increase PA and HRQoL. Our study adds to the literature by examining relations of parental support and children's healthy lifestyle in Asia and provides insights to parents and researchers.