Food & Health Alliance

Richards, R.; Poulton, R.; Reeder, A. I. and Williams, S.  Cancer Society Social and Behavioural Research Unit, University of Otago; Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, University of Otago and Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.  (2009).

Study that investigates the effect of family environment, physical health/ability, mental health and health risk behaviour on adolescent physical activity levels. 

Method:  Data was collected at the ages of 3,5,7,9,11,13,15 and 18 years old.  770 participants provided data at every one of the 8 time points.  Measurements included: physical activity participation, socio-economic status, family involvement in social and recreational activities, intelligence, mental health, childhood mobility, parents health, maximal oxygen uptake (VO_{2 max}), general health status, time spent watching TV, smoking habits and alcohol consumption. 

Findings:  Persistent inactivity was associated with low SES and low family recreation participation, with less activities such as climbing trees, riding bikes and playing ball games etc in childhood being reported by this group.  Less active participants also reported parental ill health along with more TV watching.  These less active participants had poorer health and cardiovascular fitness. 

Implications:  Results suggest the importance for parent al modeling for physical activity due to the link between family engagement in recreational activities and physical activity participation in adolescence.  Interventions should be focused on families with low SES that encourage whole family participation in healthy recreation activities.  Further research should focus on access to exercise resources in the home and local neighborhood, using longitudinal research to investigate the effect of changes in access to activities on physical activity participation.

Access to full PDF requires Athens log in details.