Active relatives and health-related physical fitness in European adolescents: the HELENA Study.
High physical fitness in childhood and adolescence is positively associated with favourable health-related outcomes. Our aim was to examine the relationship between relatives' (father, mother, brother, sister, and best friend) physical activity engagement and encouragement on adolescents' physical fitness. Adolescents were part of the HELENA study, a multi-centre study conducted in 10 cities from nine European countries in 2006-2008. Participants were 3288 adolescents (48% boys, 52% girls) aged 12.5-17.5 years with valid data on at least one of the three fitness variables studied: muscular strength (standing long jump), speed/agility (4×10 m shuttle run), and cardiorespiratory fitness (20 m shuttle run). The adolescents reported their relatives' physical activity engagement and encouragement. Analysis of covariance showed that relatives' physical activity engagement (father, mother, brother, and best friend) was positively related to cardiorespiratory fitness (P < 0.05); and mother's and sisters' physical activity engagement were positively associated with higher muscular strength in adolescents (P < 0.05). Furthermore, father's physical activity encouragement was positively linked to physical fitness (all fitness components) in adolescents (P < 0.05). Interventions aimed at improving physical fitness in young people might be more successful when family members, particularly mothers and fathers, are encouraged to engage in physical activity and support adolescents' physical activity.
Department of Physical Education and Sport, School of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Spain. miguelaujar@ugr.es
Miguel
M
Martín-Matillas
Francisco B
FB
Ortega
Jonatan R
JR
Ruiz
David
D
Martínez-Gómez
Germán
G
Vicente-Rodríguez
Ascensión
A
Marcos
Laurent
L
Béghin
Anthony
A
Kafatos
Marcela
M
González-Gross
Maria
M
Zaccaria
Dénes
D
Molnár
Stefaan
S
De Henauw
Michael
M
Sjöström
Luis A
LA
Moreno
Manuel J
MJ
Castillo
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D005060:Europe; D015444:Exercise; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D009068:Movement; D053580:Muscle Strength; D010809:Physical Fitness; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support