Parents' participation in physical activity predicts maintenance of some, but not all, types of physical activity in offspring during early adolescence: A prospective longitudinal study

Purpose: We aimed to examine the longitudinal associations between parents' and youth's participation in physical activity (PA). Methods: One hundred and ninety youth completed self-administered questionnaires 3 times per year from 2011 to 2015, and their parents completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire during a telephone interview once in 2011-2012. Data on youth's and parents' activities were classified as interdependent or coactive/independent. Results: Youth with one or both parents who participated in interdependent activities were more likely to maintain participation in interdependent activities (hazard ratio (HR) = 3.63; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.30-10.17). Youth's sustained participation in coactive/independent activities was not associated with parents' participation in coactive/independent activities (HR = 0.97; 95%CI = 0.46-2.06). Conclusion: Longitudinal associations between parents' and youth's participation in PA differed across type of PA. Encouraging parents' participation in interdependent activities may promote sustained participation in interdependent activities in youth. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Shanghai University of Sport.