Correlates of physical activity of children and adolescents: A systematic review of reviews
Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to identify promoting and inhibiting correlates associated with the physical activity (PA) of children and adolescents (aged 3–18). The intention was to demonstrate the complexity of correlates of PA and to determine possible influencing factors. Design: A systematic review of reviews. Methods: Systematic database research was carried out in Medline, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PsycInfo, Springer Link and Thieme Connect. Inclusion criteria were that the study: (a) was classified as a systematic review with or without meta-analysis; (b) was published between 2000 and 2009; (c) dealt with children and adolescents aged 3–18; (d) had as its dependent variable any measure of overall PA; and (e) reviewed associations between quantitatively measured variables and PA. The internal validity of the systematic reviews thus identified was evaluated using a validated quality instrument. Results: Nine systematic reviews without meta-analysis and one systematic review with meta-analysis were selected. Altogether 16 correlates were identified which were consistently associated with PA of children and/or adolescents: sex, age, ethnicity, parental education, family income, socioeconomic status, perceived competence, self-efficacy, goal orientation/motivation, perceived barriers, participation in community sports, parental support, support from significant others, access to sport/recreational facilities und time outdoors. Conclusions: Although the findings of the reviews covered are to some extent heterogeneous, it is possible to identify consistent correlates of PA in children and adolescents. The results show that PA is a complex and multi-dimensional behaviour determined by numerous biological, psychological, sociocultural and environmental factors.
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Children and adolescents who have high levels of perceived competence, self-efficacy and access to physical activity/sports/recreational facilities are likely to participate in physical activity.
“Among many salient factors, children and adolescents who have high levels of perceived competence, self-efficacy and access to physical activity/sports/recreational facilities are likely to participate in physical activity.95 96”
From Physical activity and health in Chinese children and adolescents: expert consensus statement (2020) (2020) · cites this paper as [95]
Nepal's good grades for Active Transportation and Sedentary Behavior may be linked to low automobile dependency and limited access to screen-based sedentary pursuits.
“Nepal's good grades in many of the indicators including Active Transportation and Sedentary Behavior may be associated with low automobile dependency (eg, 7.12 vehicles for 1000 people in 2011) 47 and minimal opportunities and access to screen-based recreational sedentary pursuits such as television and computer time and time spent using the Internet.”
From Global Matrix 3.0 Physical Activity Report Card Grades for Children and Youth: Results and Analysis From 49 Countries (2018) · cites this paper as [48]
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“A number of narrative reviews have consistently identified an association between parental support and children’s PA [6-9,11,12,14,16,18-21].”
BackgroundInfluentialPhysical activity and health in Chinese children and adolescents: expert consensus statement (2020)
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- Authors
- Sterdt, E., Liersch, S., & Walter, U.
- Affiliations
- Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (DE)
- Venue
- Health Education Journal
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2013-01-13
- Volume
- 73
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 72-89
- ISSN
- 0017-8969 (ISSN-L)
- 1748-8176
- OpenAlex
- W2127050276
- Cited by
- 431
- References
- 52
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 55 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 53 · 2021: 65 · 2020: 49 · 2019: 46 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 1.66
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Health Education Journal (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Social Sciences › Life-span and Life-course Studies › Sports and Physical Education Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Keywords
- physical activity, children, adolescents, correlates of physical activity, sex differences, age, ethnicity, parental education, household income, socioeconomic status, perceived competence, self-efficacy, goal orientation, motivation, perceived barriers, community sports, parental support, social support, outdoor time
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