Overview
The purpose of this study is to examine physical activity habit formation in parents and if this can increase moderate to vigorous physical activity behavior in their children over six months. The Primary Research Question is:
Does the habit formation condition result in increased moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity of the child compared to the control (education) and education + planning conditions at six months? Hypothesis: Child physical activity will be higher for the habit formation condition in comparison to the more standard physical activity education and planning conditions at six months.
Description
Secondary Research Questions
- Does the habit formation condition improve child health-related quality of life, and health-related fitness outcomes compared to the control and planning conditions at six months? Hypothesis: Child health-related fitness and quality of life will be higher for the habit formation condition in comparison to the control and planning conditions.
- Can group differences among behavioural, and health-related fitness outcomes be explained through a mediation model? Hypothesis: The covariance of the assigned conditions (habit formation, planning + education, education control) on child physical activity will be explained by parental support habit, and through the use of consistency and cues regulation strategies (i.e., manipulation check). In turn, the covariance between support habit and health-related outcomes will be explained by physical activity among conditions. The habit formation condition will not affect parental support intentions or underlying outcome expectations (benefits of physical activity) for support of child physical activity because its effect on behavior is to tie initial intentions to behavioural action or to work independent of goals and intentions.
- Is there an intergenerational, seasonal, or gender difference across primary outcomes by assigned condition? Hypothesis: Parents in the habit formation condition will show higher physical activity via some activities being performed with their children in comparison to the other conditions. No differences in gender or season are hypothesized but these are exploratory research questions because there is limited research at present [28] to make any definitive statement.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- parents with children between the ages of 6 and 12 years
- self-report low family physical activity
- target child is not meeting Canada's Physical Activity guidelines
Exclusion Criteria:
• participant is unsafe to participate in physical activity as determined by answers to the
Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q)