Environmental resources moderate the relationship between social support and school sports participation among adolescents: a cross-sectional analysis

• Published in: The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity Vol. 8; no. 1; p. 34
• Main Authors: Graham, Dan J, Schneider, Margaret, Dickerson, Sally S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 18.04.2011; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Actigraphy - methods; Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Cross-Sectional Studies; environmental resources; Exercise; Female; Geographic Information Systems; Health aspects; Humans; Influence; Male; Motor Activity; perceived competence; physical activity; Physiological aspects; Regression Analysis; Residence Characteristics; Self Report; Social Environment; Social networks; Social Support; Socioeconomic Factors; Sports - psychology; Sports facilities; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teenagers; Youth; United States
• ISSN: 1479-5868; 1479-5868
• DOI: 10.1186/1479-5868-8-34

Most Americans are not active at recommended levels. Adolescence is a developmental period when physical activity (PA) decreases markedly. This study investigates whether access to environmental PA resources moderates the relationship between psychosocial resources (social support and perceived competence) and PA among 192 adolescents. Environmental access to PA resources (determined via GIS-based assessment of the number of gyms, schools, trails, parks and athletic fields within 0.5 miles of each participant's home) moderated the association between social support and PA; among adolescents with high levels of environmental resources, greater social support was associated with students participating in a greater number of sports in school, whereas no such relationship emerged among adolescents with low environmental resources. PA-promotion interventions should aim to enhance both social and environmental resources; targeting either one alone may be insufficient.