Purpose: The symposium explores the breadth of research which has been conducted in relation to parental physical activity and the importance of conducting research on this topic. We will present a scoping review of the relevant literature and results from both a quantitative and a qualitative study examining parental physical activity.
Rationale: Physical activity is beneficial for both physical and mental health. In addition to these general population benefits, there are also parent-specific advantages associated with being physically active, such as nurturing relationships with children through co-participation and providing a means of dealing with the daily challenges of being parent. Despite this, parents have lower levels of physical activity than non-parents. It is vital to understand physical activity of this group to find ways to increase their physical activity levels.
Objectives: The aims of this symposium are to:
1. To investigate the range of research which has been and is currently being conducted on parental physical activity, identifying knowledge gaps and future directions.
2. To discuss the importance of conducting research on parental physical activity.
3. To prompt discussion between researchers with an interest in parental physical activity to stimulate ideas for future research and collaborations.
Summary: The symposium will be introduced by Dr Rachel Simpson (University of Cambridge). Three 12-minute presentations will follow: Dr Rachel Simpson will present a scoping review of research conducted on parental physical activity, Vicka Versele (Vrije Universiteit Brussels) will present findings from focus groups exploring the changes in parental physical activity during the postpartum period, and Dr Arto Laukkanen (University of Jyväskylä) will present results from a longitudinal study examining the bidirectional relationship between parents' and their child's physical activity across a transition from kindergarten to primary school. To conclude, Professor Adam Evans (University of Copenhagen) will provide a summary of the session and facilitate discussion amongst presenters and the audience.