Influence of parents and physical education teachers in adolescent physical activity

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of parents and Physical Education teachers on adolescent's extracurricular Physical Activity. Data were obtained from the Chilean System for the Assessment of Educational Quality test with a large representative sample of 23,180 students (11,927 females and 11,253 males aged 13.7 and 13.8 years respectively). The analyzed variables were the extracurricular physical activity of adolescents, parents’ and physical education teachers’ encouragement to do physical activity and parents’ physical activity behavior. Associations between variables were analyzed using chi-squared tests. Two logistic regression models, one adjusted and the other unadjusted, were performed for each physical activity variable (vigorous, moderate, mild and total) in order to obtain odds ratios from parents’ and physical education teachers’ influence variables. Results showed that parents’ influence is more relevant than physical education teachers’ influence in order to promote physical activity in adolescents, regardless of age, sex and physical condition.

Results from Chile’s 2018 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth

“…3,4 26.0% of students reported that they have positive reinforcement from teachers for being physically active. 14…”

Students’ Perception Of The Self-Assessment Process In High School Physical Education

“…In their study of secondary school students, Olivares et al (2015) reported that the maintenance of health enhancing behaviors during adolescence is essential for the prevention of obesity and the development of chronic diseases, therefore it is critical to examine what factors contribute to adolescents' participation in physical activity. Adolescence is an important period of time where habits are acquired, and many of these habits contribute to students' continued involvement and participation in physical activity.…”

“…School-based physical education has been strongly endorsed by numerous public health agencies and professional organizations as an essential aspect of reversing the obesity epidemic in our youth (Welk, 2008). Physical education teachers have the opportunity to increase students' motivation to be physically active, both in and out of PE class (Olivares et al, 2015).…”

“…According to SHAPE America's Executive Report (2016), the goal of physical education is to address the needs of the whole child, by helping students exercise both their bodies and minds, ultimately impacting all aspects of health. Physical education (PE) class is a logical place for students to achieve high levels of physical activity (PA), which is widely associated with a variety of health benefits, most importantly in the prevention of obesity and future chronic diseases (Olivares, Cossio-Bolanos, Gomez-Campos, Almonacid-Fierro, & Garcia-Rubio, 2015).…”

The evaluation of a school-based military style high-intensity interval training intervention on adolescent’s physical health, mental well-being and quality of life

“…Adolescents' perceptions of the intervention instructor also determined intervention adherence. Research has shown that positive instructor role models can significantly increase youth's physical activity levels and subsequent intention to exercise (Eddolls, McNarry, Stratton, & Mackintosh, 2016;Humbert et al, 2008;Olivares, Cossio-Bolaños, Gomez-Campos, Almonacid-Fierro, & Garcia-Rubio, 2015). Equally, however, it has been suggested that poor role models can be detrimental to exercise participation (Slater & Tiggemann, 2010).…”