Role of Sociodemographic Variables and the Mother's Active Behavior on Active Commuting to School in Children and Adolescents.

The main objective of the current study was to analyze how parents' sociodemographic characteristics, mode of commuting and physical activity (PA) act as indicators of active commuting to school (ACS) in their children and adolescents. A total of 684 paired parents (52.8% mothers) and their respective offspring (33.7% girls) were included. The participants self-reported their sociodemographic characteristics, mode of commuting, and PA. Logistic regression analyses were performed using a stepwise approach, including, as indicators, parental characteristics, mode of commuting and PA. The main outcome was child and adolescent ACS. The odds ratio (OR) and R2 of Nagelkerke were obtained for each step. Parental sociodemographic characteristics were greater indicators of child ACS than the parental mode of commuting and PA. In children, the greatest predictive variables of ACS explained 38% of the variance and were as follows: car availability (OR = 0.24), father's educational level (OR = 0.47), mother's educational level (OR = 1.95), mother's active commuting to work (OR = 4.52) and mother's salary/month (OR = 0.67). In adolescents, the greatest predictive variables of ACS explained 40% of the variance and were as follows: socioeconomic level (OR = 0.43) and father's active commuting (OR = 10.6). In conclusion, sociodemographic factors are better indicators of ACS than parents' physical activity and active commuting to work.

Are the Parents' and Their Children's Physical Activity and Mode of Commuting Associated? Analysis by Gender and Age Group.

BACKGROUND: Some studies have reported a positive parent-child association between physical activity (PA), but few have examined the difference in these associations concerning both genders. The objective of this study was to establish the association between moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and mode of commuting (MC) of the parents with their children by gender and age group. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 686 mothers and fathers (43.4 ± 6.5 years old) and their children (children 9.7 ± 1.7 y. and adolescents 14.0 ± 1.7 y.). Each participant completed a questionnaire on PA and MC. Chi-square test, odds ratio for categorical variables, and lineal regressions for continuous variables were used to examine the parent-child associations. RESULTS: An inverse association was found between fathers-children in the weekend MVPA in children and between mothers-adolescents in out-of-school and weekend MVPA. An inverse association was found in MVPA between mothers-girls, and the different parents' MC to work was positively associated with the MC to school in children and adolescents except for the association AC parents-adolescents. The AC was mainly associated between mothers and girls and boys. CONCLUSIONS: A weak association in parent-child MVPA but a strong association in MC between parent-child was found.