Background
Methods
Study design and sample
Data collection procedures
Dependent variable
Covariates
Individual level variables
Family level variables
Environmental level variables
Statistical analysis
Results
Overview of children’s PA patterns
Boys | Girls | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Low PA | Moderate PA | High PA | Low PA | Moderate PA | High PA | |||||
(N = 826) | (N = 728) | (N = 2,609) | (N = 1,309) | (N = 1,012) | (N = 2,082) | |||||
Individual factors
+
|
Total
|
N (%)
|
N (%)
|
N (%)
|
p-value
|
Total
|
N (%)
|
N (%)
|
N (%)
|
p-value
|
Child’s weight status** | <0.001 | <0.001 | ||||||||
Normal | 3,100 | 558 (20) | 541 (17) | 2,001 (63) | 3,019 | 812 (27) | 692 (22) | 1515(51) | ||
Overweight | 661 | 137 (21) | 115 (17) | 409 (62) | 875 | 296 (36) | 204 (21) | 375 (43) | ||
Obese | 196 | 74 (39) | 39 (18) | 83 (43) | 284 | 122 (48) | 65 (20) | 97 (33) | ||
Takes exercise | <0.001 | <0.001 | ||||||||
Never | 34 | 22 (62) | 4 (10) | 8 (28) | 44 | 25 (69) | 7 (10) | 12 (21) | ||
1-2times/week | 673 | 243 (38) | 144 (20) | 286 (42) | 957 | 446 (47) | 223 (21) | 288 (32) | ||
3-4times/week | 939 | 209 (25) | 234 (25) | 496 (51) | 1,136 | 356 (33) | 329 (27) | 453 (40) | ||
Almost every day | 2,486 | 341 (16) | 344 (14) | 1801 (70) | 2,244 | 472 (22) | 450 (19) | 1,322(59) | ||
Sports/fitness club | <0.001 | <0.001 | ||||||||
Yes | 3,585 | 596 (18) | 644 (18) | 2345 (64) | 3,137 | 809 (26) | 768 (24) | 1,560 (49) | ||
No | 573 | 226 (41) | 84 (14) | 263 (45) | 1,261 | 496 (40) | 244 (16) | 521 (44) | ||
Playing sport* | <0.001 | 0.11 | ||||||||
Favourite #
| 1,657 | 232 (15) | 258 (16) | 1167 (69) | 809 | 178 (23) | 195 (24) | 436 (53) | ||
Second favourite | 968 | 155 (17) | 187 (19) | 636 (64) | 767 | 207 (30) | 179 (22) | 381 (48) | ||
Third favourite | 455 | 97 (27) | 78 (16) | 280 (57) | 506 | 144 (31) | 123 (22) | 239 (48) | ||
Watching TV* | 0.38 | 0.99 | ||||||||
Favourite | 169 | 53(29) | 33 (19) | 83 (52) | 195 | 73 (35) | 42 (20) | 80 (45) | ||
Second favourite | 491 | 126 (28) | 88 (20) | 277 (53) | 428 | 144 (34) | 94 (21) | 190 (45) | ||
Third favourite | 669 | 135 (23) | 128 (18) | 406 (59) | 551 | 187 (35) | 121 (21) | 243 (44) | ||
Playing video games* | <0.001 | 0.36 | ||||||||
Favourite | 211 | 71 (37) | 42 (17) | 98 (46) | 84 | 34 (35) | 22 (29) | 28 (36) | ||
Second favourite | 318 | 84 (30) | 64 (19) | 170 (51) | 202 | 61 (28) | 54 (24) | 87 (48) | ||
Third favourite | 392 | 83 (21) | 70 (18) | 239 (62) | 255 | 86 (36) | 58 (20) | 111(43) | ||
Watching TV | <0.001 | <0.001 | ||||||||
Zero or <1 hour | 1,050 | 157 (17) | 174 (15) | 719 (68) | 1,186 | 274 (25) | 279 (21) | 633 (54) | ||
1-3hours | 2,723 | 539 (21) | 475 (18) | 1,709 (62) | 2,819 | 856 (30) | 656 (22) | 1,307 (47) | ||
>3 hours | 390 | 130 (35) | 79 (21) | 181 (44) | 398 | 179 (45) | 77 (19) | 142 (36) | ||
Playing video games | <0.001 | 0.02 | ||||||||
Zero or <1 hour | 3,059 | 549 (20) | 522 (17) | 1,988 (63) | 3,923 | 1,118 (29) | 923 (22) | 1,882 (48) | ||
1-3hours | 1,011 | 245 (26) | 185 (17) | 581 (57) | 438 | 169 (37) | 82 (16) | 187 (47) | ||
>3 hours | 93 | 32 (38) | 21 (21) | 40 (41) | 39 | 19 (46) | 7 (21) | 13 (32) | ||
On the computer | <0.001 | 0.34 | ||||||||
Zero or <1 hour | 3,650 | 669 (21) | 624 (17) | 2,337 (62) | 3,820 | 1,097 (30) | 895 (22) | 1,828 (48) | ||
1-3hours | 498 | 143 (31) | 94 (17) | 261 (52) | 549 | 200 (35) | 112 (44) | 237 (44) | ||
>3 hours | 33 | 14 (33) | 9 (31) | 10 (36) | 32 | 11 (31) | 5 (15) | 16 (53) | ||
Total screen time | <0.001 | 0.002 | ||||||||
<2 hours/day | 899 | 128 (17) | 142 (14) | 629 (69) | 1,082 | 247 (25) | 258 (22) | 577 (53) | ||
>2 hours/day | 3,262 | 698 (23) | 585 (18) | 1,979 (59) | 3,317 | 1,059 (32) | 754 (22) | 1,504 (46) | ||
Family factors
+
| ||||||||||
Caregiver’s weight*** | 0.74 | 0.13 | ||||||||
Normal | 1,925 | 349 (21) | 340 (17) | 1,236 (62) | 1,962 | 552 (29) | 466 (21) | 944 (50) | ||
Overweight | 1,244 | 262 (22) | 224 (18) | 758 (60) | 1,300 | 391 (31) | 282 (21) | 627 (47) | ||
Obese | 655 | 149 (23) | 112 (17) | 394 (60) | 1735 | 248 (35) | 172 (23) | 315 (43) | ||
Caregiver’s education | 0.01 | <0.001 | ||||||||
</=lower second level | 674 | 156 (25) | 108 (15) | 410 (60) | 834 | 281 (35) | 151 (17) | 402 (48) | ||
Higher second level | 1,295 | 287 (23) | 248 (19) | 760 (58) | 1,403 | 428 (31) | 319 (22) | 656 (47) | ||
Post second level | 1,056 | 203 (21) | 173 (16) | 680 (63) | 1,067 | 302 (27) | 241 (23) | 524 (50) | ||
Third level | 1,138 | 180 (17) | 199 (17) | 759 (66) | 1,099 | 298 (26) | 301 (27) | 500 (47) | ||
Siblings | 0.59 | 0.17 | ||||||||
Yes | 3,716 | 728 (22) | 656 (18) | 2,332 (61) | 3,977 | 1,166 (30) | 910 (21) | 1,901 (49) | ||
No | 329 | 66 (20) | 57 (16) | 206 (64) | 330 | 101 (32) | 88 (26) | 141 (42) | ||
Household type | 0.01 | 0.71 | ||||||||
Single Parent | 457 | 119 (28) | 58 (14) | 280 (59) | 534 | 165 (32) | 118 (20) | 251 (48) | ||
Two parent | 3,706 | 707 (21) | 670 (18) | 2,329 (61) | 3,869 | 1,144 (31) | 894 (22) | 1,831 (47) | ||
Environmental factors
+
| ||||||||||
Transport to school | 0.21 | 0.68 | ||||||||
Active | 1,047 | 199 (23) | 167 (15) | 681 (62) | 1,085 | 298 (30) | 261 (22) | 526 (49) | ||
Inactive | 3,116 | 627 (22) | 561 (18) | 1,928 (60) | 3,318 | 1,011 (31) | 751 (21) | 1,556 (47) | ||
Transport from school | 0.24 | 0.48 | ||||||||
Active | 1,160 | 223 (23) | 190 (15) | 747 (63) | 1,209 | 339 (30) | 298 (23) | 572 (48) | ||
Inactive | 3,003 | 603 (21) | 538 (18) | 1,862 (60) | 3,189 | 967 (31) | 713 (21) | 1,509 (48) | ||
School playground^ | 0.19 | 0.79 | ||||||||
Fair/poor | 1,660 | 320 (22) | 316 (19) | 1,024 (59) | 1,704 | 501 (30) | 398 (22) | 805 (48) | ||
Good/excellent | 2,361 | 453 (22) | 389 (16) | 1,489 (62) | 2,493 | 751 (31) | 573 (21) | 1,169 (48) | ||
School sports facilities^ | 0.97 | 0.43 | ||||||||
Fair/poor | 1,765 | 343 (22) | 310 (17) | 1,112 (60) | 1,908 | 573 (31) | 417 (20) | 918 (48) | ||
Good/excellent | 2,267 | 460 (22) | 397 (17) | 1,410 (61) | 2,341 | 698 (31) | 563 (22) | 1080 (47) | ||
Safe places to play | 0.34 | 0.18 | ||||||||
Agree | 3,814 | 740 (22) | 662 (17) | 2412 (61) | 4,016 | 1,194 (30) | 925 (22) | 1,897 (48) | ||
Disagree | 344 | 85 (26) | 64 (16) | 195 (58) | 113 | 381 (36) | 87 (19) | 181 (46) |
Univariate logistic regression findings
Variable | Moderate PA* (N = 1,740) | High PA* (N = 4,691) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
OR (95% CI) | p-value | OR (95% CI) | p-value | |
Individual factors
+
| ||||
Gender | ||||
Boys | 1.13 (0.96-1.33) | 0.14 | 1.79 (1.55-2.07) | <0.001 |
Girls | 1*** | 1 | ||
Child’s weight status#
| ||||
Obese | 0.52 (0.38-0.71) | <0.001 | 0.34 (0.26-0.44) | <0.001 |
Overweight | 0.78 (0.64-0.95) | 0.01 | 0.71 (0.60-0.84) | <0.001 |
Normal | 1 | 1 | ||
Child’s favourite hobby** | ||||
Active hobby^ | 1.26 (1.08-1.48) | 0.01 | 1.81 (1.57-2.08) | <0.001 |
Inactive hobby | 1 | 1 | ||
Sports/fitness club | ||||
Yes | 2.49 (2.09-2.98) | <0.001 | 2.41 (2.0-2.82) | <0.001 |
No | 1 | 1 | ||
Total screen time | ||||
<Recommended 2 hours | 0.83 (0.67-1.01) | 0.06 | 0.66 (0.56-0.78) | <0.001 |
>Recommended 2 hours | 1 | 1 | ||
Family factors
+
| ||||
Caregiver’s employment | ||||
Not in full time | 1.31 (1.02-1.69) | 0.04 | 1.23 (0.99 -1.53) | 0.06 |
In full time work | 1 | 1 | ||
Caregiver’s education | ||||
Third level | 1.93 (1.51-2.46) | <0.001 | 1.56 (1.28-1.90) | <0.001 |
Post-secondary | 1.48 (1.17-1.87) | <0.001 | 1.35 (1.13-1.62) | 0.001 |
Higher secondary | 1.45 (1.16-1.79) | <0.001 | 1.10 (0.94-1.32) | 0.23 |
< =Lower secondary | 1 | 1 | ||
Caregiver’s weight status##
| ||||
Obese | 0.86 (0.68-1.09) | 0.21 | 0.77 (0.64-0.94) | 0.01 |
Overweight | 0.96 (0.79-1.17) | 0.69 | 0.89 (0.76-1.04) | 0.13 |
Normal | 1 | 1 | ||
Siblings | ||||
Yes | 0.92 (0.67-1.25) | 0.57 | 1.02 (0.78-1.32) | 0.90 |
No | 1 | 1 | ||
Household type | ||||
Two parent | 1.37 (1.07-1.75) | 0.01 | 1.19 (0.99-1.45) | 0.06 |
Single parent | 1 | 1 | ||
Parenting style | ||||
Authoritative | 1.26 (1.03-1.55) | 0.02 | 1.22 (1.03-1.44) | 0.02 |
Permissive | 1 | 1 | ||
Environmental factors
+
| ||||
Travel to/from school | ||||
Active both ways | 0.94 (0.77-1.15) | 0.54 | 1.02 (0.87-1.20) | 0.80 |
Active one way | 1.12 (0.83-1.52) | 0.46 | 1.00 (0.79-1.28) | 0.99 |
Inactive both ways | 1 | 1 | ||
School playground*** | ||||
Good/excellent | 0.89 (0.74-1.06) | 0.18 | 1.00 (0.86-1.18) | 0.94 |
Fair/poor | 1 | 1 | ||
School sports facilities*** | ||||
Good/excellent | 1.08 (0.91-1.28) | 0.37 | 1.03 (0.88-1.20) | 0.75 |
Fair/poor | 1 | 1 | ||
Safe places to play | ||||
Agree | 1.20 (1.02-1.41) | 0.03 | 1.20 (1.05-1.38) | 0.01 |
Disagree | 1 | 1 | ||
After school activities | ||||
Yes | 1.29 (1.07-1.56) | 0.01 | 1.22 (1.04-1.42) | 0.01 |
No | 1 | 1 |
Multivariate logistic regression findings
Model one (individual level factors)
Model 1 (individual level factors) | Model 2 (model 1 + family level factors) | Model 3 (model 1 and 2 + environmental factors) | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Moderate | High | Moderate | High | Moderate | High | |||||||
OR (95%CI) | p-value | OR (95%CI) | p-value | OR (95%CI) | p-value | OR (95%CI) | p-value | OR (95%CI) | p-value | OR (95%CI) | p-value | |
Individual factors
+
| ||||||||||||
Gender | ||||||||||||
Boys | 0.96 (0.81-1.14) | 0.63 | 1.54(1.32-1.80) | <0.001 | 0.85 (0.68 -1.08) | 0.19 | 1.66 (1.37-2.01) | <0.001 | 0.84 (0.66-1.06) | 0.15 | 1.64 (1.34-2.01) | <0.001 |
Girls | 1*** | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Child’s weight status#
| ||||||||||||
Obese | 0.58 (0.42-0.79) | <0.001 | 0.40 (0.31-0.52) | <0.001 | 0.86 (0.55-1.34) | 0.51 | 0.41 (0.27-0.61) | <0.001 | 0.90 (0.57-1.40) | 0.63 | 0.41 (0.27-0.61) | <0.001 |
Overweight | 0.79 (0.65-0.97) | 0.02 | 0.77 (0.64-0.91) | 0.001 | 0.72 (0.55-1.34) | 0.02 | 0.68 (0.54-0.85) | <0.001 | 0.75 (.56-1.00) | 0.05 | 0.68 (0.54-0.86) | <0.001 |
Normal | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Total screen time^ | ||||||||||||
< Recommended 2 hours | 0.90 (0.73-1.11) | 0.33 | 0.71 (0.59-0.84) | <0.001 | 0.97 (0.73-1.28) | 0.82 | 0.67 (0.53-0.86) | <0.001 | 0.97 (0.73-1.30) | 0.85 | 0.66 (0.52-0.85) | <0.001 |
>Recommended 2 hours | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Favourite hobby* | ||||||||||||
Active | 1.13 (0.95-1.35) | 0.27 | 1.65 (1.42-1.92) | <0.001 | 1.21 (0.95-1.53) | 0.13 | 1.62 (1.30-2.03) | <0.001 | 1.17 (0.91-1.50) | 0.21 | 1.65 (1.31-2.08) | <0.001 |
Inactive | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
Sports/fitness club | ||||||||||||
Yes | 2.28 (1.88-2.77) | <0.001 | 1.86 (1.58-2.20) | <0.001 | 2.32 (1.69-3.18) | <0.001 | 1.92 (1.50-2.46) | <0.001 | 2.28 (1.66-3.14) | 0.001 | 1.90 (1.48-2.45) | <0.001 |
No | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
Family factors
+
| ||||||||||||
Caregiver’s education | ||||||||||||
Third level | 1.74 (1.18-2.57) | 0.01 | 1.32 (0.96-1.81) | 0.09 | 1.67 (1.12-2.50) | 0.01 | 1.31 (0.94-1.83) | 0.11 | ||||
Post-secondary | 1.21 (0.85-1.72) | 0.29 | 1.17 (0.87-1.57) | 0.31 | 1.14 (0.78-1.67) | 0.46 | 1.16 (0.85-1.58) | 0.34 | ||||
Higher secondary | 1.17 (0.81-1.68) | 0.41 | 1.09 (0.80-1.47) | 0.60 | 1.16 (0.81-1.68) | 0.42 | 1.08 (0.79-1.49) | 0.62 | ||||
< =Lower secondary | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
Caregiver’s employment | ||||||||||||
In full time work | 0.81 (0.61-1.08) | 0.15 | 1.05 (0.82-1.34) | 0.73 | 0.76 (0.57-1.01) | 0.06 | 1.04 (0.72-1.50) | 0.79 | ||||
Not in full time | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
Caregiver’s weight#
| ||||||||||||
Obese | 1.14 (0.82-1.58) | 0.43 | 1.02(0.76-1.36) | 0.90 | 1.11 (0.79-1.56) | 0.54 | 1.00 (0.74-1.35) | 0.99 | ||||
Overweight | 0.85 (0.65-1.11) | 0.23 | 0.94 (0.75-1.17) | 0.56 | 0.80 (0.61-1.05) | 0.11 | 0.92 (0.74-1.16) | 0.48 | ||||
Normal | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
Siblings | ||||||||||||
Yes | 1.20 (0.80-1.79) | 0.37 | 0.86 (0.62-1.18) | 0.35 | 1.22 (0.80-1.86) | 0.35 | 0.83 (0.59-1.16) | 0.28 | ||||
No | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
Parenting style | ||||||||||||
Authoritative | 1.41 (1.07-1.87) | 0.02 | 1.15 (0.90-1.47) | 0.25 | 1.42 (1.06-1.90) | 0.02 | 1.16 (0.91-1.49) | 0.23 | ||||
Permissive | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
Household type | ||||||||||||
Two parent | 1.38 (0.96-1.98) | 0.08 | 1.03(0.77-1.38) | 0.82 | 1.45 (0.99-2.12) | 0.06 | 1.07 (0.79-1.44) | 0.74 | ||||
One parent | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
Environmental factors
+
| ||||||||||||
Travel to/from school | ||||||||||||
Active both ways | 1.13 (0.83-1.41) | 0.43 | 1.34 (1.03-1.74) | 0.03 | ||||||||
Active one way | 1.04 (0.66-1.62) | 0.88 | 1.04 (0.72-1.50) | 0.85 | ||||||||
Inactive both ways | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||
School playground** | ||||||||||||
Good/excellent | 0.87 (0.67-1.62) | 0.29 | 0.97 (0.76-1.24) | 0.82 | ||||||||
Fair/poor | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||
School sports facilities** | ||||||||||||
Good/excellent | 1.08 (0.83-1.41) | 0.56 | 0.99 (0.78-1.26) | 0.95 | ||||||||
Fair/poor | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||
Safe places to play | ||||||||||||
Agree | 0.81 (0.53-1.24) | 0.33 | 1.12 -0.75-1.66) | 0.58 | ||||||||
Disagree | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||
After school activities | ||||||||||||
Yes | 1.39 (1.05-1.84) | 0.02 | 1.16 (0.92-1.46) | 0.22 | ||||||||
No | 1 | 1 |