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Personal and social‐environmental correlates of objectively measured physical activity in Norwegian pre‐adolescent children
Author(s) -
Bergh I. H.,
Grydeland M.,
Bjelland M.,
Lien N.,
Andersen L. F.,
Klepp K.I.,
Anderssen S. A.,
Ommundsen Y.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2011.01295.x
Subject(s) - overweight , norwegian , moderation , body mass index , obesity , multilevel model , physical activity , medicine , demography , social support , psychological intervention , psychology , physical therapy , social psychology , philosophy , linguistics , machine learning , psychiatry , sociology , computer science , pathology
The aim of this study was to examine modifiable biological, psychological, behavioral and social‐environmental correlates of physical activity among 1129 Norwegian 11‐year‐old children within a cross‐sectional sample from the HEalth In Adolescents study. Physical activity was assessed by accelerometer, and weight and height were measured objectively. Age‐ and gender‐specific cut‐off points proposed by the International Obesity Task Force were used to define body mass index. Social‐environmental variables were self‐reported by questionnaire. Hierarchical regression (linear mixed models) revealed that normal weight children scored higher on percentage daily moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity [% daily moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA)] than overweight/obese children ( P <0.001). Self‐efficacy ( P <0.01) and perceived social support from friends ( P <0.01) were positively associated with children's % daily MVPA, and a negative association was found for computer/game‐use on weekends ( P <0.01). A moderator effect of weight category (normal vs overweight/obese) in the relationship between computer/game‐use on weekends and % daily MVPA was detected ( P <0.05), reflecting that higher computer/game‐use on weekends was associated with lower % MVPA among the overweight/obese, but not among the normal weight. Modifiable correlates from multiple domains accounted for 14% of the variance in % daily MVPA. Prospective and intervention studies are needed to examine whether these factors act as mediators for physical activity change in pre‐adolescent children.