Adolescent Perceptions Of Parental Support For Physical Activity Engagement

Adolescence is a critical time period in terms of developing healthy behaviors such as physical activity (PA). However, many adolescents do not achieve the appropriate amount and PA tends to decline during this time period. Family factors including parental support, motivation, and role modeling can influence PA, particularly among young children. However, there is less evidence indicating the same is true for adolescents. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of adolescents' perceptions of their parents’ support regarding PA engagement. METHODS: Data was obtained from a national survey of adolescents aged 12-17 years old. PA was derived from the Youth Activity Profile to predict weekly minutes of PA. Perception of parental support of adolescent PA was asked using a 5-point Likert Scale. Logistic regression modeling estimated the ORs for risk at a lower level of adolescent’s PA for perceptions of parent support adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: Among a total of 1,437 adolescents, all met the minimum recommendations for PA/day. Adolescents with higher PA had significantly positive perceptions of support from their parents compared with adolescents with lower levels of PA (Ps < 0.05). Specifically, there was a reduced odds at a lower level of adolescent’s PA for the following: the family like to exercise (38.9%); parent(s) taking them places where they can be physically active (56.8%-59.4%); parent(s) trying to be physically active when they are around (33.6%-39.9%); and parents making rules about how much time they spend being active (30.3%-35.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, if adolescents felt supported by their parents they were more likely to be physically active. With PA often declining during the adolescent time period, it is important to understand the potential positive influences on PA.