Parental views of children’s physical activity: a qualitative study with parents from multi-ethnic backgrounds living in England

Abstract

BackgroundGuidelines recommend children and young people participate in at least 60 min of physical activity (PA) every day, however, findings from UK studies show PA levels of children vary across ethnic groups. Since parents play an instrumental role in determining children’s PA levels, this article aims to explore parental views of children’s PA in a multi-ethnic sample living in a large city in the North-West of England.MethodsSix single-ethnic focus groups were conducted with 36 parents of school-aged children (4 to 16 years) with a predominantly low socio-economic status (SES). Parents self-identified their ethnic background as Asian Bangladeshi (n = 5), Black African (n = 4), Black Somali (n = 7), Chinese (n = 6), White British (n = 8) and Yemeni (n = 6). Focus group topics included understanding of PA, awareness of PA guidelines, knowledge of benefits associated with PA and perceived influences on PA in childhood. Data were analysed thematically using QSR NVivo 9.0.ResultsParents from all ethnic groups valued PA and were aware of its benefits, however they lacked awareness of PA recommendations, perceived school to be the main provider for children’s PA, and reported challenges in motivating children to be active. At the environmental level, barriers to PA included safety concerns, adverse weather, lack of resources and lack of access. Additional barriers were noted for ethnic groups from cultures that prioritised educational attainment over PA (Asian Bangladeshi, Chinese, Yemeni) and with a Muslim faith (Asian Bangladeshi, Black Somali, Yemeni), who reported a lack of culturally appropriate PA opportunities for girls.ConclusionParents from multi-ethnic groups lacked awareness of children’s PA recommendations and faced barriers to promoting children’s PA out of school, with certain ethnic groups facing additional barriers due to cultural and religious factors. It is recommended children’s PA interventions address influences at all socio-ecological levels, and account for differences between ethnic groups.

Entendiendo la percepción de las madres sobre la actividad física de los niños y niñas

“…However, Mothers emphasize sedentary activities in their families that are adjusted to their need to work at home. Similar results have been reported in other settings, reinforcing the fact that when planning physical activities for children, participant enjoyment should be taken into account (Trigwell et al, 2015).…”

“…Las autorizaciones adicionales a las aquí delimitadas se pueden obtener en el correo: educare@una.cr Revista Electrónica Educare (Educare Electronic Journal) EISSN: 1409-4258 Vol. 23(2) MAYO-AGOSTO, 2019:1-18 children's participation in physical activity (Trigwell, Murphy, C., Cable, G., Stratton, G., & Watson, 2015) in an environment of trust and autonomy (Bentley et al, 2012).…”

Using participatory approaches with children to better understand their physical activity behaviour

“…Several researchers have chosen to use parental proxies in studies concerning childhood PA ( Trigwell et al, 2015 ). If the aim of the study is to understand how parents perceive the child’s PA behaviour or to understand the potential restrictions they place on their child’s PA, then this method does have relevance.…”

Objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time: cross-sectional and prospective associations with adiposity in the Millennium Cohort Study

“… 64 However, efforts to increase activity levels in these groups need to reduce cultural and religious barriers, which have been shown to influence involvement. 65 …”