Research on the correlation between family endowment factors and adolescents' physical fitness behaviors.

backgroundThis study analyzes the associations of family endowment factors on adolescents’ physical fitness behaviors, identifies practical needs for family sports development, and addresses current challenges in promoting adolescent physical fitness in China. Adolescents (n = 1,025) were sampled using multistage, grade-stratified cluster sampling from nine cities purposively selected from Shandong Province to ensure geographic (coastal/inland, north/south) and socioeconomic diversity.

methodsA random cluster sampling method was used to select adolescents’ fitness behaviors and family endowment from nine cities in Shandong Province, out of a total of sixteen cities. Binary and ordinal logistic regression analyses were applied to examine the associations of family endowment on adolescents’ physical fitness behaviors.

results1) Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that, compared with mothers with primary school education or below (reference), adolescents whose mothers had junior high school, high school/technical secondary school, or college-or-above education had markedly higher odds of participating in physical fitness (ORs = 7.60, 5.83, and 5.51; 95%CIs: 2.91–19.85, 2.15–15.78, and 1.89–16.06; all P ≤ 0.002), indicating consistently higher odds across higher maternal education categories. Better paternal health was also positively associated with adolescents’ participation in physical fitness. Adolescents from households with an annual income of 110,000–200,000 RMB had higher odds of participation than those from the lowest income group, whereas other income groups did not differ significantly. The number of close friends and relatives showed significant differences across all groups except for the “1–3 individuals” group; in particular, social networks with 4–5, 6–10 and ≥ 10 individuals were associated with higher odds of participation. Family activity space and family debt level were not significantly associated with whether adolescents participated in physical fitness. 2) Ordinal logistic regression showed that higher maternal education, larger family activity space, higher household income, and larger and higher-quality social networks were all associated with a higher frequency of adolescents’ physical fitness behavior. The binary logistic model showed acceptable discrimination and calibration (AUC = 0.82; Hosmer–Lemeshow test P = 0.883).

conclusionSpecific components of family endowment—especially higher maternal education, household income of 110,000–200,000 RMB, and larger/higher-quality social networks—were positively associated with adolescents’ physical fitness behaviors, with stronger associations for participation frequency. Family activity space was not associated with participation in the binary model but was positively associated with higher participation frequency in the ordered model.