A Three-Generation Perspective on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior of School-Aged Children: A Scoping Review

Abstract

This scoping review assesses the different roles parents and grandparents play in supporting children’s physical activity and how their roles may interact to create a family climate conducive to physical activity. Systematic searches were conducted in the Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and EBSCO databases, following the PRISMA reporting standards. Selected studies (N = 11) examined the intergenerational influences on children’s physical activity (i.e. the child-parent-grandparent triad). Relevant studies were aimed at physical activity or sedentary behavior within a family context (n = 3); concerned with overweight or obesity (n = 5); discussed anthropometric indicators (n = 2); and presented intervention programs (n = 1). From these studies, it was apparent that children´s physical activity and sedentary behavior are formed through intergenerational family dynamics, with parents and grandparents providing distinct forms of support. However, more research is needed to better define the distinct family roles and processes implicated in the transmission of physical activity habits across generations.