Parental Support and Children’s Body Weight: Mediating Effects of Health Behaviors

Abstract

This study examined the indirect effect of parental support for physical activity on children’s body weight through physical activity and screen time. We also compared the results between children with correct body weight perception and those with incorrect body weight perception. A secondary data analysis was performed using the 2010 National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey of 11,458 U.S. high school students. Data analyses were conducted using Mplus 8.3 and AMOS 26.0. One third of children were overweight or obese. Physical activity and screen time significantly mediated the relationship between parental support for physical activity and children’s body weight regardless of body weight perception. Parental support for physical activity had a direct effect on children’s body weight only among children who incorrectly estimate their body weight. Developers of childhood obesity programs can use the direct and indirect pathways between parental support and children’s health-related behaviors associated with childhood obesity.