Social support and physical activity among 6th-grade female early adolescents


Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

4192.0: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - Board 8

Abstract #112011

Andrew E. Springer, DrPH, Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, University of Texas School of Public Health, 7000 Fannin, Suite 2664, Houston, TX 77030, 713-500-9989, andrew.e.springer@uth.tmc.edu, Steven H. Kelder, PhD, MPH, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, 7000 Fannin, Suite 2658, Houston, TX 77030, and Deanna M. Hoelscher, PhD, RD, LD, CNS, Human Nutrition Center, Univ. of Texas-Houston School of Public Health, 1200 Herman Pressler, RAS W920, Houston, TX 77030.

This study examined the associations of friend and family encouragement of and engagement in physical activity with self-reported daily minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behaviors among 718 sixth-grade middle school girls. A secondary analysis was performed using cross-sectional baseline data from IMPACT, an osteoporosis prevention intervention study. MVPA was assessed using 3 random administrations of the Self-Administered Physical Activity Checklist (SAPAC), while social support was assessed with Likert-type items from a psychosocial questionnaire. Analysis of Variance indicated that students reporting higher levels of friend and family encouragement and engagement reported significantly higher mean daily minutes of MVPA than students who reported lower friend and family support (83 versus 56 minutes, respectively, p<0.001). Students reporting higher family support reported significantly lower minutes of TV-video viewing as compared to students reporting lower family support (94 versus 109 minutes, respectively, p<.05); no significant differences were found by level of friend support. Regression analysis indicated that friend encouragement and friend engagement were the only variables that maintained statistical significance with MVPA in a full model with family support variables and after adjusting for body mass index (BMI) (p < .001). Family engagement in physical activity was the only social support variable significantly related to sedentary behavior after adjusting for other support variables and BMI (p < .05). Efforts promoting physical activity among female early adolescents may be enhanced by targeting the roles of peers in encouraging and engaging in physical activity and family physical activity in decreasing sedentary behaviors.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant in the session will be able to

1.) Articulate types and recommended amounts of physical activity for adolescent girls.
2.) Describe types and sources of social support as well as general trends in social influences of adolescent girls.
3.) Recognize how social support is related to activity and inactivity levels in adolescent girls, and state how this can be used for intervention purposes.

Keywords: Physical Activity, Adolescents

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Using Health Education to Improve the Public's Health

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA