Association between changes in parents’ and children’s adherence with the 24-hour movement behaviour guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic: A national longitudinal study

Many cross-sectional studies have examined associations between parents’ and children’s movement behaviours, focusing on single behaviours, despite these behaviours being interdependent. This longitudinal study examined associations between parents’ and children’s adherence to the Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines. An online national survey was conducted with parents of 7 to 12-year-olds (N=2,257; 51.6% boys) in December 2020, and every six months until June 2022 (4 waves). Multinomial regression models embedded in generalized estimating equations were used to model associations between changes in parents’ adherence to the guidelines, perceived behavioural control (PBC) to support their child’s movement behaviours, and changes in children’s adherence to the guidelines. The final model was adjusted for age, child and parent gender, household income, immigration status, and study wave. Across all waves, over two thirds of parents and children did not meet the guidelines. Accordingly, maintaining non-adherence was used as the reference group. Children whose parents maintained adherence were more likely to maintain adherence (OR=3.25, 95% CI: 1.80-5.85) and to change from adherence to non-adherence (OR=2.21, 95% CI: 1.32-3.71). Children whose parents shifted from non-adherence to adherence were more likely to maintain adherence (OR=1.82, 95% CI: 1.15-2.88), shift from adherence to non-adherence (OR=1.91, 95% CI: 1.25-2.92), and from non-adherence to adherence (OR=2.05, 95% CI: 1.41-2.96). Each unit increase in parental PBC was associated with higher odds of children maintaining adherence (OR = 3.80, 95% CI: 2.27-6.36). These findings support the importance of parental role-modelling and PBC to support their child’s movement behaviours, suggesting a need for family-based interventions.