Multilevel Correlates of Physical Activity for Early, Mid, and Late Adolescent Girls

Abstract

Background:We examined associations among multilevel variables and girls’ physical activity to determine whether they vary at different adolescent ages.Methods:All field sites of the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls contributed participants from 6th (n = 1576) and 8th grades (n = 3085). The Maryland site contributed an 11th grade sample (n = 589). Questionnaires were used to obtain demographic and psychosocial information (individual- and social-level variables); height, weight, and triceps skinfold to assess body composition; interviews and surveys for school-level data; and geographical information systems and self-report for neighborhood-level variables. Moderate to vigorous physical activity minutes (MVPA) were assessed from accelerometers. Mixed models (13 individual, 5 social, 15 school, 12 neighborhood variables) were used to determine multilevel associations.Results:Variables at individual, social, school, and neighborhood levels were associated with MVPA, but differed across grades. Lower percent body fat, higher social support from friends, and lower school math scores were associated with higher MVPA at 6th and 8th grade. Higher physical activity self-efficacy was associated with higher MVPA at 11th grade. Only lower physical activity barriers were associated with higher MVPA at all grades.Conclusion:MVPA is a complex behavior with fluid, multilevel correlates that differ among girls across middle and high school.

Systematic review of the relationships between objectively measured physical activity and health indicators in school-aged children and youth

“…Valid PA data missing for 41.5% of the sample (Hansen et al 2014). Validity and reliability of outcomes unknown (Booth et al 2013(Booth et al , 2014Esteban-Cornejo et al 2014;Young et al 2014 (Young et al 2014)), 2 studies found no associations (between total PA and WIAT-III (Lambourne et al 2013;Hansen et al 2014)), and 2 studies found no or favourable associations (between PA (total, %MVPA) and executive function tests (Booth et al 2013); and between %MVPA and national English, Math, and Science test scores (Booth et al 2014)). …”

“…4/15 studies reported mixed favourable and null associations Belcher et al 2010;Kelly et al 2010;Jimenez-Pavon et al 2013c) 1/15 studies reported mixed null and unfavourable associations ) MVPA: 20/30 studies reported favourable associations (Ekelund et al 2004;Lohman et al 2006;Ness et al 2007;Stevens et al 2007;Mark and Janssen 2009;Riddoch et al 2009;Steele et al 2009;Belcher et al 2010;Martinez-Gomez et al 2010b;Holman et al 2011;Grydeland et al 2012;Lawman et al 2012;Carson et al 2013;Ekstedt et al 2013;Jimenez-Pavon et al 2013a;Taverno Ross et al 2013;da Silva et al 2014;Young et al 2014;Katzmarzyk et al 2015aKatzmarzyk et al , 2015b) 6/30 studies reported mixed favourable and null associations Peart et al 2011;Ruiz et al 2011;Mendoza et al 2012;St George et al 2013;Jimenez-Pavon et al 2013c) 3/30 studies reported null associations (Hurtig-Wennlof et al 2007;Ortega et al 2007;Martinez-Gomez et al 2012) 1/30 studies reported mixed null and unfavourable associations (Mark and Janssen 2009;Holman et al 2011) 3 studies examined bouts of MVPA and associations were favourable (2/3 studies; Holman et al 2011;da Silva et al 2014) or mixed (favourable and null; 1/3 studies; Mark and Janssen 2009) MPA: 2/10 studies reported favourable associations …”

“…Total PA: associations were null (2/3 studies; Johnson et al 2008;Toseeb et al 2014), or mixed (null and favourable) depending on if assignment to tertiles adjusted for total PA or adjusted for %time in MVPA (1/3 studies; Wiles et al 2012) VERY LOW e VPA: null associations (1/1 studies; Johnson et al 2008) MVPA: associations were favourable (1/4 studies; Wiles et al 2012), null (2/4 studies; Johnson et al 2008;Toseeb et al 2014), or mixed (null and unfavourable; 1/4 studies; Young et al 2014) LPA: null associations (1/1 studies; Johnson et al 2008) Note: The range of mean ages was 12.0 to 16.9 years. Data were collected cross-sectionally and with 3-year follow-up.…”

“…i Includes 6 cross-sectional studies (Booth et al 2013(Booth et al , 2014Lambourne et al 2013;Esteban-Cornejo et al 2014;Hansen et al 2014;Young et al 2014) from 5 unique samples. Two studies reported data from the ALSPAC sample (Booth et al 2013(Booth et al , 2014; results are reported separately and participants are only counted once.…”

“…FFM and FM were estimated using an equation developed specifically for the study; however, a methods paper showed the equation did not perform satisfactorily or meet the criteria for cross-validation (Taverno Ross et al 2013). Validity and reliability of outcome measure is unknown and a reference for the equation is not provided (Young et al 2014).…”