Children are more likely to become couch potatoes—or enthusiastically active—based on what they see their parents doing day-to-day, according to a new study.
The example set by moms and dads appears to contribute to sedentary or active behavior in their children, researchers report in the journal Sports Medicine and Health Science.
Senior researcher Diego Christofaro, a professor in the Department of Sport Sciences at São Paulo State University in Brazil, stated: “Parents’ level of physical activity can directly influence their children’s habits.”
He added in a news release: “In other words, when parents maintain a more active routine, their children are less likely to remain seated for long periods.”
Study Design
For the study, researchers tracked the physical movement of 182 children ages 6 to 17 for one week, as well as 161 moms and 136 dads.
Key Findings
Results showed that children of inactive parents tended to be more sedentary. The reverse was also true—active moms and dads had kids who followed suit.
Mothers tended to have more influence over their children’s physical activity than fathers, researchers found. In fact, moms’ influence was more than twice that of dads.
These results held even after they were adjusted for other factors like the family’s socioeconomic status, parents’ education, and the children’s sex and age.
Why Parents Matter
Physically active or sports-minded parents likely understand the benefits of exercise and encourage their children, researchers said in their paper.
They also might be more likely to limit screen time and support activity by taking their kids to the park or paying for sports equipment, backyard swings, and other active games or toys, researchers speculated.
Christofaro stated: “Sedentary habits are the result of multiple factors, such as lack of access, time, and places where physical activity can be practiced.”
He continued: “However, our study shows that parents’ habits can affect their children’s health. Therefore, we believe that these results can support public policies and campaigns aimed at promoting a more active lifestyle in the family environment.”
This research underscores the powerful role parents play in shaping their children’s activity levels and suggests that family-based interventions promoting physical activity could be particularly effective in combating childhood sedentary behavior and its associated health risks.
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