Intergenerational transmission of sports club participation – The 40-year Young Finns Study

Oral

Abstract Overview

Background
Parents’ physical activity habits have shown to contribute to their offspring’s physical activity. Knowledge on how different physical activity habits transfer from one generation to another is still needed. As the development of lifestyles is a dynamic process starting from an early age, it is essential to pay attention to the intergenerational transmission of physical activity in childhood.
Purpose
This ongoing, community-based Young Finns Study (YFS) launched in 1980 examined whether parents’ sports club participation at the ages of 9-12 was associated with that of their children at the same ages.
Methods
Information on participants’ sports club participation was collected from the original study participants (G1) and from their children (G2) at the ages of 9 and 12 (N=146-264) through self-reports. The associations were studied using generalized estimation equations (GEE) controlling for participants’ sex, parents’ educational status and income.
Results
Parents’ sports club participation at the age of 9 was favorably associated with their children’s sports club participation at the same age (OR=2.63, p=.01) and at the age of 12 (OR=2.52, p<.01). Controlling for participants’ sex, parents’ educational status and income did not modify the associations (p’s.05).
Conclusions
Children, whose parents participated in sports clubs’ trainings at the age of 9, were more likely to participate in sports clubs at the ages of 9-12 than their counterparts with less active parents.
Practical implications
Policymakers and health professionals should continue designing material and psychosocial support actions for families in order to encourage their participation to sports club training. More support could also be provided to physical activity professionals for establishing clubs covering variety of sports to attract distinct population segments.
Funding
Ministry of Education and Culture

Additional Authors

Name: Sini Stenbacka
Affiliation: University of Turku
Presenting Author: no
Name: Katja Pahkala
Affiliation: University of Turku
Presenting Author: no
Name: Suvi Rovio
Affiliation: University of Turku
Presenting Author: no
Name: Tuija Tammelin
Affiliation: Jamk University of Applied Sciences
Presenting Author: no
Name: Olli Raitakari
Affiliation: University of Turku
Presenting Author: no
Name: Kasper Salin
Affiliation: University of Jyväskylä
Presenting Author: no

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Information

Study Type: Other
Subtheme: Implementation science
Population Group: Children
Setting: Sport

Submitting Author

Kaisa Kaseva
Researcher, lecturer
University of Jyväskylä, University of Helsinki
Finland

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