ArticleBMC pediatrics2015
"He's probably more Mr. sport than me"--a qualitative exploration of mothers' perceptions of fathers' role in their children's physical activity.
Article in BMC pediatrics, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 51 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
51 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 90 citations in OpenAlex.
- Parents' experiences of family-based physical activity interventions: a systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2025Pooled it
- Barriers and facilitators to young children's physical activity and sedentary behaviour: a systematic review and synthesis of qualitative literature.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2017Pooled it
- Involvement of Fathers in Pediatric Obesity Treatment and Prevention Trials: A Systematic Review.Pediatrics · 2017Pooled it
- Effects of a family-based lifestyle intervention on co-physical activity and other health-related outcomes of fathers and their children: the 'Run Daddy Run' intervention.BMC public health · 2023Trial
- Establishing Effectiveness of a Community-based, Physical Activity Program for Fathers and Daughters: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine · 2022Trial
- Impact of the 'Healthy Youngsters, Healthy Dads' program on physical activity and other health behaviours: a randomised controlled trial involving fathers and their preschool-aged children.BMC public health · 2022Trial
- A whole family-based physical activity promotion intervention: findings from the families reporting every step to health (FRESH) pilot randomised controlled trial.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2020Trial
- "Daily Growth" Parenting Program Delivered via Ecological Momentary Intervention: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Prototype.JMIR pediatrics and parenting · 2026Article
- Acceptability, Perceived Feasibility and Perceived Impact of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-Informed Emotion Regulation Program to Assist Parents in Supporting Their Children's Physical Activity: A Qualitative Proof-of-Concept Study.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Contribution of Sport Type to the Association Between Handgrip Strength and Morbidity/Mortality: Future Follow-up Study and Possible Mechanisms.Sports medicine - open · 2026Review
- Long-term outcomes of a father-daughter program for sport participation, activity, wellbeing, and gender equity: a 3-8-year mixed-methods follow-up.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Sports as a pathway to wellness: sports and health-related quality of life among adolescents in Germany (a cross-sectional analysis from GeWIT Study).BMC public health · 2026Article
- A qualitative study into the perceptions and needs of fathers with a migration background on parenting regarding energy balance-related behaviors.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Twelve-month outcomes of a community-based, father-daughter physical activity program delivered by trained facilitators.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2024Article
- Multistakeholder Perspectives on the Determinants of Family Fundamental Movement Skills Practice: A Qualitative Systematic Review.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- The role of fathers in child development from preconception to postnatal influences: Opportunities for the National Institutes of Health Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program.Developmental psychobiology · 2024Review
- Meta-synthesis of qualitative studies to explore fathers' perspectives of their influence on children's obesity-related health behaviors.BMC nursing · 2024Article
- Indian fathers are involved in nurturing healthy behaviours in adolescents: A qualitative inquiry.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Autonomous motivation, social support, and physical activity in school children: moderating effects of school-based rope skipping sports participation.Frontiers in public health · 2024Article
- "It's what mothers do." A qualitative exploration of mothers' experiences of supporting their daughter to be physically active.PloS one · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMany children do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity. Parents can influence their children's physical activity in a number of ways but little research has focused on the impact of fathers. The current study aimed to explore how mothers perceived fathers to influence children's physical activity.
methodsTelephone interviews with mothers (n = 50) who took part in a large cross sectional physical activity study were conducted. A strategic sampling method was applied to ensure varying deprivation levels and child physical activity. Interviews were based on children's physical activity and screen viewing behaviours and patterns. A total of 37 interviews included information on fathers and were used for the current study. Deductive content analysis was used to analyse the interviews.
resultsMothers suggested that fathers are directly involved in their child's physical activity though co-participation, whilst additionally playing an important role in encouraging and facilitating physical activity. The results suggest some variation in how mothers and fathers are involved in children's physical activity behaviours. Father availability seems to play a key role in the amount of physical activity involvement.
conclusionsFathers play a key role in children's physical activity choices and behaviours and can influence children in a variety of ways. Parents tend to share in the physical activity related tasks of their children but father availability seems to be a factor in their amount of involvement. Health professionals aiming to improve child physical activity may benefit from developing interventions that target both children and fathers.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.