Parent–child coparticipation in physical activity and its associations with daily physical activity and key correlates: findings from the families reporting every step to health study

Background: Limited evidence exists for the role of parent–child coparticipation in physical activity (joint light, moderate, or vigorous physical activities involving at least 1 child and a parent) in parents’ and children’s overall physical activity. This study examined the association of parent–child coparticipation in physical activity with parental and children’s daily physical activity and explored correlates of coparticipation. Methods: Data were from 149 participants (41 families: 67 parents [30–55 y, 57% female] and 82 children [4–16 y, 40% girls]) in the Families Reporting Every Step to Health pilot study. Families Reporting Every Step to Health was a 3-armed, parallel-group, randomized controlled pilot trial. Participants’ physical activity and location were measured simultaneously with accelerometers and Global Positioning System monitors. Data from 3 data collection points (baseline and 2 follow-ups) were analyzed cross-sectionally using multivariable linear mixed models with random intercepts at the family and participant levels. Results: At baseline, children and parents accumulated an average of 70 and 36 minutes per day, respectively, of parent–child coparticipation in physical activity, which contributed 33% and 17% of their daily total physical activity, respectively. For both parents and children, coparticipation was positively associated with daily total physical activity (β = 0.37; 95% CI, 0.19–0.55 min/d) and daily moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (β = 0.10; 95% CI, 0.03–0.16 min/d). Coparticipation in physical activity was on average 28.80 (11.23–46.37) minutes per day lower among parents than among children. Conclusion: Parent–child coparticipation in physical activity might be a promising component of family-based interventions to promote physical activity among children and parents.