Two Family Gradients in Children's Physical Activity and Fitness: Socioeconomic Position, Family Structure, and Where They Diverge.
- 1China Institute of Sport Science, No. 11 Tiyuguan Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100061, China.
- 2Graduate School of Health and Sports Science, Juntendo University, Inzai 270-1695, Chiba, Japan.
- 3Weifang Aiyoudong Children and Youth Sports Health Research Institute, Weifang 261061, China.
Abstract
Background/objectives
Family circumstances are related to children's physical activity and fitness, yet the two are rarely examined together in the same children. We examined how socioeconomic position and family structure (only-child status) relate to domain-specific reported activity and measured fitness. Socioeconomic position was the mean of maternal and paternal educational attainment, with higher values indicating higher attainment.Methods
We designed and conducted a cross-sectional survey of 8228 children in grades 1 to 9 from 27 schools. The questionnaire covered the preceding six months in three domains: physical education class, in-school extracurricular activity and out-of-school exercise. Weekly frequency, duration and intensity were reported for each and summed to weekly moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA). Fitness comprised 10 device-measured indicators and, in primary grades, a 5-item motor battery. Linear and logistic models used school fixed effects and school-clustered standard errors, with Benjamini-Hochberg correction.Results
Median reported weekly MVPA was 300 min; 26.3% of the 7533 children with computable MVPA met the 60 min-per-day guideline. Socioeconomic position was associated with reported MVPA (0.077 SD, 95% CI 0.032 to 0.122) and with meeting the guideline (odds ratio 1.21, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.37). The association appeared in out-of-school exercise but not in physical education class, a contrast of 0.064 SD (95% CI 0.024 to 0.104). Socioeconomic position was also associated with lower handgrip strength (-0.044 SD, 95% CI -0.064 to -0.024) and with more sit-ups in primary grades. Only children showed no clear difference in reported activity in any domain, yet they had lower composite fitness (-0.102 SD, 95% CI -0.142 to -0.061), which remained after adjustment for reported MVPA.Conclusions
The socioeconomic gradient in reported activity was concentrated outside the physical education class; family structure was associated with measured fitness without a matching difference in reported activity.
Related
- Socioeconomic gradients in parent-reported SDQ scores among children aged 2, 4 and 6 years
- Age, residential, and socioeconomic differences in the association between nutritional literacy and physical activity among adults
- Psychosocial Health Inequalities and Socioeconomic Deprivation Gradients Among Preschool Children in Care and Not in Care: An Administrative Health Data Study
- Socioeconomic Inequalities in Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviours Among Adolescents: A Systematic Review.
- Physical activity before, during and after COVID-19: socioeconomic and diabetes-related inequalities
BibTeX
@article{zhang2026family,
title = {{Two Family Gradients in Children's Physical Activity and Fitness: Socioeconomic Position, Family Structure, and Where They Diverge.}},
author = {Yanfeng Zhang and Xiang Pan and Yibo Gao and Haixia Hu},
journal = {Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/healthcare14193189},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42881628},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Two Family Gradients in Children's Physical Activity and Fitness: Socioeconomic Position, Family Structure, and Where They Diverge.
AU - Yanfeng Zhang
AU - Xiang Pan
AU - Yibo Gao
AU - Haixia Hu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/27
JO - Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/healthcare14193189
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42881628
AB - Background/objectives Family circumstances are related to children's physical activity and fitness, yet the two are rarely examined together in the same children. We examined how socioeconomic position and family structure (only-child status) relate to domain-specific reported activity and measured fitness. Socioeconomic position was the mean of maternal and paternal educational attainment, with higher values indicating higher attainment.Methods We designed and conducted a cross-sectional survey of 8228 children in grades 1 to 9 from 27 schools. The questionnaire covered the preceding six months in three domains: physical education class, in-school extracurricular activity and out-of-school exercise. Weekly frequency, duration and intensity were reported for each and summed to weekly moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA). Fitness comprised 10 device-measured indicators and, in primary grades, a 5-item motor battery. Linear and logistic models used school fixed effects and school-clustered standard errors, with Benjamini-Hochberg correction.Results Median reported weekly MVPA was 300 min; 26.3% of the 7533 children with computable MVPA met the 60 min-per-day guideline. Socioeconomic position was associated with reported MVPA (0.077 SD, 95% CI 0.032 to 0.122) and with meeting the guideline (odds ratio 1.21, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.37). The association appeared in out-of-school exercise but not in physical education class, a contrast of 0.064 SD (95% CI 0.024 to 0.104). Socioeconomic position was also associated with lower handgrip strength (-0.044 SD, 95% CI -0.064 to -0.024) and with more sit-ups in primary grades. Only children showed no clear difference in reported activity in any domain, yet they had lower composite fitness (-0.102 SD, 95% CI -0.142 to -0.061), which remained after adjustment for reported MVPA.Conclusions The socioeconomic gradient in reported activity was concentrated outside the physical education class; family structure was associated with measured fitness without a matching difference in reported activity.
SN - 2227-9032
ER -