Children and Adolescents' Perception of Parental and Peer Support for Meeting Physical Activity Recommendations.

BACKGROUND

Interpersonal factors such as family and friends strongly influence children's and adolescents' physical activity (PA). How these young people in Chile perceive parental and peer support for PA practice remains little explored. Therefore, this study aims to determine the association between perceived parental and peer support with PA levels and to compare both types of support with PA recommendation compliance in Chilean children and adolescents.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 641 schoolchildren (47% girls, 9-17 y old) from Valparaíso and Araucanía regions of Chile. Perceived parental and peer support were evaluated through the Physical Activity Family and Friends Support Scales questionnaire. PA was assessed through the Youth Activity Profile questionnaire. t Tests and binary logistic regression were used for statistical analysis (alpha considered: .05).

RESULTS

Significant differences between sexes were found only in parental support (P = .006 for boys-children). In adolescents, a significant difference was found in boys (P < .001) wherein peer support was greater than parental support. Furthermore, parental support was significantly associated with meeting PA recommendations (general: odds ratio [OR] = 3.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.42-4.99; boys: OR = 4.75, 95% CI = 1.91-11.81; girls: OR = 3.56, 95% CI = 2.34-5.41). Peer support was also associated with meeting PA recommendations (general: OR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.42-2.36; boys: OR = 5.13, 95% CI = 2.05-12.86; girls: OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.15-2.04).

CONCLUSION

PA promotion strategies should consider age groups and the sex of participants to select the most effective approaches. Moreover, these strategies should aim to address and reduce gender biases among parents, which may inadvertently favor boys over girls.