Correlates of weight-bearing physical activity among adolescent girls: results from a national survey of girls and their parents

Despite the potential benefits of reducing the risk of osteoporosis in later life, research on adolescent girls' weight-bearing physical activity (WBPA) is limited. This study explores correlates for WBPA in this population. A nationally representative telephone survey sponsored by the National...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of physical activity & health 2008-01, Vol.5 (1), p.132-145
Main Authors: Price, Simani M, McDivitt, Judith, Weber, Deanne, Wolff, Lisa S, Massett, Holly A, Fulton, Janet E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitude to Health
Child
Exercise
Female
Girls
Health Surveys
Humans
Motivation
Parent-Child Relations
Parents & parenting
Weight Lifting
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Despite the potential benefits of reducing the risk of osteoporosis in later life, research on adolescent girls' weight-bearing physical activity (WBPA) is limited. This study explores correlates for WBPA in this population. A nationally representative telephone survey sponsored by the National Bone Health Campaign was conducted with 1000 girls age 9 to 12 years and a parent. Girls' physical activities were coded as weight bearing or not and correlated with cognitive, social, and environmental variables. Regression analysis revealed that WBPA was significantly associated with self-reported parents' education, parental self-efficacy, girls' normative beliefs about time spent in physical activity, being physically active with a parent, having physically active friends, and perceived availability of after-school physical activities. Interventions encouraging parents to participate in WBPA with their daughters and increasing parents' positive attitudes and self-efficacy in getting their daughters to be physically active should be tested.
ISSN:1543-3080
1543-5474
DOI:10.1123/jpah.5.1.132