Effects of a 12-week multicomponent intervention on 24-hour movement behaviour and physical fitness in parents and their children: a mediation analysis

Objective. To determine the effect of a multicomponent intervention on the moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of parents and their children; secondly, to identify the modification of other components of 24-hour movement behaviour and physical fitness as a result of the intervention; thirdly, to explore how the intervention modifies the different moments of children’s MVPA by examining changes in their parents' MVPA. Methods. Participants were 156 pairs of parents and children from 3rd to 6th grade (mean age 11 years). These parent-child pairs were volunteers from two private and one public school, intentionally allocated to control and intervention groups. Both groups completed questionnaires, but only the intervention group participated in the 12-week intervention. Educational infographics and videos about the benefits of regular physical activity on health were sent every Monday via parents’ email and WhatsApp, while Friday messages provided physical activity suggestions for the weekends. Also, three face-to-face sessions were done with parents and children. The analysis was adjusted by age, sex and school, and a mediation analysis was conducted. Results. The intervention improved parents’ MVPA and increased children’s physical activity out of school and on weekends. Mediation analysis revealed that parental MVPA were not established as a mediator for children’s activity levels, potentially due to the lack of significant MVPA changes in parents. Conclusion. Parent-focused interventions have the potential to impact not only parents' active behaviours but also their children's. Research like this highlights the critical role of family-inclusive approaches in addressing the low physical activity levels observed in children.