title: An examination of multilevel factors that may explain gender differences in children's physical activity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Girls are less physically active than boys, yet no single study has examined the factors that may explain gender differences in children's physical activity (PA).
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a cross-sectional analysis of data from 116 caregivers and their children aged 5-8 years who participated in the MOVE study. Caregivers reported various factors that may relate to children's PA (eg, encouragement for child PA and PA equipment at home). Child PA was measured by 7-day accelerometry. Linear regression tested for the variance in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) explained by gender and several variables. Gender and ethnicity interactions were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caregivers were mostly female (97%), mean age 38 ± 6 years, mean BMI 28 ± 6 (kg/m2). Child's mean age was 8.1 ± 0.7, 54% were female and 40% were overweight/obese. Girls were less physically active than boys (54.1 ± 19.7 vs. 65.2 ± 28.0 daily minutes of MVPA, respectively). Among girls, more days of PE/week was associated with greater MVPA. Among boys, greater parent support for PA, greater parent modeling for PA, and greater number of PA equipment in the home were associated with greater MVPA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study supports that boys and girls have different correlates for MVPA, which may partly explain gender differences in PA.
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition and Health Promotion, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ.
authors.forename: Noe C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Crespo
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Corder
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patrick
authors.forename: Jim F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sallis
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Elder
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002140:California; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D010290:Parents; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors