Mediators of Adult Support and Adolescent Physical Activity

Background/Purpose: Adults exercising with adolescents, encouraging them to engage in activity, and watching them be physically active have been positively associated with increased adolescent physical activity. Studies have also shown that an adolescent’s attitude toward activity and specific behaviors (e.g., walking/biking to school) can increase their activity. Although studies have demonstrated these associations, they have not been examined with a nationally representative sample of students. In addition, little research has explained ways in which an adolescent’s attitude toward activity and specific behaviors affect the association between adult support and adolescent activity. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether adult support directly affects an adolescent’s attitude toward activity, walking/biking to school, and sedentary behavior, which in turn, affect their level of activity. 

Method: Data for this study came from 2010 National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (NYPANS). A three-stage cluster sample design was used to obtain a nationally representative sample of high school students. The outcome variable was number of days an adolescent was physically active for at least 60 minutes per day in the past week. The independent variable was adolescent perception of adult support for activity (4 items, α=0.79).  The mediating variables included attitude toward physical activity (5 items, α=0.89), sedentary behavior (3 items, α=0.58), and bike/walk to school (2 items combined).

Analysis/Results: Path analysis was used to examine the direct association of adult support on three mediating variables (sedentary behavior, walking/biking to school, and attitude toward activity) and overall adolescent activity. The analysis also examined the extent to which adult support indirectly affected adolescent activity through the mediating variables. The findings showed that adult support, attitude toward physical activity, and walking/biking to school were positively associated with adolescent activity, while sedentary behavior was negatively associated.  Adult support was also indirectly associated with adolescent activity by way of attitude toward activity, sedentary behavior, and walking/biking to school.  The total effects (direct plus indirect) of adult support on adolescent activity through attitude toward activity was β=0.34, p < .001, sedentary behavior was β=0.31, p < .001, and walking/biking to school was β=0.29 p < .001.

Conclusions: Adult support for activity can affect adolescent physical activity. If adolescents perceive adults in their home support physical activity, their attitudes toward physical activity will be more positive, they will bike/walk to school more, and engage in less sedentary behaviors, which will in turn promote higher levels of physical activity.