Active Parents Make Active Children

The child's life can be more active if the mother is more active during pregnancy and both parents have an increased physical activity in their early lives, according to a new study.

Researchers studied the physical activity of almost 5.500 children with ages between eleven and twelve years who were already involved in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). For a week, each participant had to wear an accelerometer. This device recorded the intensity and frequency of the child`s physical activity during the whole day.

Based on the collected data, the researchers managed to analyze other factors that may cause the lack of physical activity. These factors include brisk walking and swimming for mothers during pregnancy, having older sibling, birth season, and how active were both parents when the child was twenty-one months.

The connection with the mother`s physical activity is unlikely to be the cause of certain biological factors. The link may be due to the fact that mothers who are active during pregnancy tend to keep it that way after pregnancy as well, according to researchers.

Although it`s still unclear, the season of birth may be associated with the school starting age, said the researchers.

There was also a modest association with watching TV but the study`s results showed a slightly improvement of the child`s physical activity if the parents are active, especially in their early life.