Patterns of Parenting Practices Regarding Physical Activity Among Parent-Adolescent Dyads

Authors: Thomson, Jessica; LANDRY, ALICIA - University Of Central Arkansas; Walls, Tameka

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/7/2021
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Purpose: Relationships between single parenting practices regarding physical activity and children’s body weight and physical activity amounts have been reported. However, parenting practices are not used in isolation and some practices may influence the need for others. Hence, the purpose of this study was to determine patterns of parenting practices regarding physical activity and their associations with body weight, legitimacy of parental authority, and physical activity measures in parents and their adolescent children. Methods: Dyadic data from the cross-sectional, Internet-based Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health and Eating Study, conducted in 2014 were analyzed using latent class analysis. Parents and adolescents (12-17years of age) completed demographic, diet, and physical activity surveys. Self-report model covariates included adolescent age and parent and adolescent sex, body mass index category (based on height and weight), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA, minutes/day), and legitimacy of parental authority regarding physical activity (PA-LPA). Results/findings: Based on 1166 parent-adolescent dyads, 4 latent classes were identified representing different levels of practice use – Complete Influencers (26%, reference class), Positive Influencers (23%), Negative Influencers (25%), and Indifferent Influencers (27%). Compared to dyads with parent underweight/healthy weight, dyads with parent overweight/obesity were twice as likely to belong to Indifferent Influencers. Conversely, compared to dyads with adolescent overweight/obesity, dyads with adolescent underweight/healthy weight were twice as likely to belong to Positive and Indifferent Influencers. Compared to dyads with high PA-LPA agreement, dyads with low agreement were 3 to 19 times as likely (parent agreement) and 5 to 28 times as likely (adolescent agreement) to belong to Positive, Negative, and Indifferent Influencers. Decreasing amounts of both parent and adolescent physical activity increased the likelihood of belonging to Negative and Indifferent Influencers. Conclusions: The findings suggest that parents utilize distinct patterns of physical activity related practices ranging from use of all practices to use of some practices to low use of any practice and these patterns are differentially associated with body weight, PA-LPA, and physical activity. In particular, low use of all practices or use of pressuring in the absence of modeling are associated with less optimal outcomes.