11/01/2022

The Foundations of Physical Activity and Health

SPSU8F4

Dr Jenni Connelly
Module Co-ordinator

SPSU8F4

Why are some people active and some people are

not?

What we are going to cover in this

session

• Define correlates, determinants and mediators

• Focus on a key paper in this area and discuss
correlates in adults and children and
adolescents
• Discuss a commonly used model in correlates
work

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Why look at why some people are active and

others aren’t?

• Effective programs to increase PA will target

known factors that cause inactivity
• These factors are called correlates
• Correlates are linked to improvement in
intervention development

Definitions
Name Description Relationship Study design
Correlate Factors Shows a Cross
associated statistical sectional
with physical association
activity only

Determinant Factors Looks for a Longitudinal

associated casual
with physical relationship
activity

Importance of correlates

➢Moderators: Segmenting the population

➢Mediators: Target strategies for

intervention focus

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Correlates can also be ‘mediators’ in terms of

interventions

What would you choose as a mediator?

• Unsupported mediators in interventions (i.e.

knowledge or attitudes) could be
ineffective…..

Why use an ecological model?

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Ecological model and correlates of

physical activity

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Correlates and physical activity domains

Occupational Household/domestic Leisure time Active transport

• Ecological models of physical activity suggest

correlates can be specific to domains.
• Key for global PA as time in domains varies by
country

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Key reading

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Main categories of correlates

• Demographic
• Biological
• Psychosocial
• Behavioural (including previous activity participation
and other health-related behaviours)
• Social and cultural
• Environmental factors
• (Others less researched - Policy, genetics, evolution)

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Children and Adolescents

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Demographic and biological

• Male = +ve correlate both groups; +ve determinant (4-9 yrs

only)
• Ethic origin (white) = Mixed findings
• BMI = Likely not a correlate or determinant in either group

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Psychosocial

• Self-efficacy (confidence in the ability to be physically active

in specific situations) = +ve correlate and +ve determinant
in both groups
• Perceived behavioural control (general perceptions of
ability to be physically active) = determinant in adolescents,
inconclusive in children

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Correlates can also be ‘mediators’ in

terms of interventions

Confidence and
perceptions of ability

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Behavioural

• Previous physical activity = +ve correlate and

determinant in both groups

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Social and cultural

• Family support = +ve correlate both groups; not a determinant in

children
• Parental activity = Not determinant children; not a correlate in
adolescents
• Support for PA = +ve determinant adolescents (only 1 review)
• Support for PA from family = +ve correlate adolescents

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Environment

• Children
• Walkability, traffic speed, and
volume (inversely), land-use mix
(proximity of homes and
destinations such as shops),
residential density, and access or
proximity to recreation facilities =
robust correlates

• Adolescents
• Land-use mix and residential
density were the most robust
correlates for adolescents = robust
correlates

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Correlates Summary: Young people

• Potential mediators of youth screen- • Potential moderators of youth screen-

viewing
– Young children: Family TV viewing
– Children: insufficient evidence to
draw conclusions
– Adolescents: BMI, depression
– Young people: snacking, body weight,
parent viewing, TV in bedroom
viewing
– Young children: age, gender, SES
– Children: insufficient evidence to draw
conclusions
– Adolescents: age, gender, ethnicity,
SES, parent education
– Young people: SES, single parent
household, ethnicity, age

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Motivation to be more active:

children

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PA motives and barriers: young people

Motives Barriers
• Enjoyment • Perceptions of
• Learning and competence
improving skills • £
• Social elements • Lack of support
• Feelings of well-being • Negative past
• Weight control? experiences
• Change with age • Self-presentation issues
• Time

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 11/01/2022

The Foundations of Physical Activity and Health

SPSU8F4

Dr Jenni Connelly
Module Co-ordinator

SPSU8F4

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Adults

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Demographic or biological

• Health status = +ve correlate; +ve determinant (some) TOP ONE!

• Age = Inversely correlated; not a determinant
• Education = +ve correlate - some inconclusive
• Male = +ve correlate - some inconclusive

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Demographic or biological

• Income and SES = +ve correlate – some inconclusive

• Marital status = Inconclusive/not a determinant
• Ethnic origin = +ve correlate - some inconclusive
• Overweight = inversely correlated - some inconclusive

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Psychosocial

Self-efficacy = +ve correlate; +ve determinant (some) TOP ONE!

Attitudes = Inconclusive
Intention to exercise = +ve correlate (and n=1 determinant)
Perceived effort = Inversely correlated
Stress = Inverse determinant

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Behavioural

Personal history of physical activity during adulthood = +ve

correlate and (and n=1 determinant)

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Social and cultural

Social support from friends and peers = +ve correlate

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Environmental

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Genes and evolution

• Genetics = Possible +ve determinant
• i.e. a heritable component can affect activity
behaviours, not just measures of fitness. So
biological underpinnings.
• Varies from small contribution to variation in
daily PA (<30% up to 78% in one study)

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Other correlates - Policy

• Policy = +ve correlate

• Policies can affect physical activity at local (school or
workplace) regional government, or national levels

• Examples of policies:
• Mandate investments in resources (eg, bike paths,
parks, and sports programmes)
• Develop public health regulations (eg, pavement
specifications, stair design standards, and payment for
physical activity counselling in health care)

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Correlates of PA: older adults

Initiation Maintenance

Personal and PA @ baseline Health status

Exercise habits
behavioral PA @ baseline

Psychological Self-efficacy Intention

Intention Enjoyment
Readiness to change Readiness to change
Action planning Realisation of outcome expectations
Perceived benefits

Physical environment Perceived access Programme format (Home)

Crime (safety)
Programme format (Home)

Van Stralen et al (2009)

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Other influences: Knowledge of

guidelines

HSE (2007). From BHF PA stats (2012)

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Limitations of correlates work

• Adults
– Vigorous activity

• Older adults
– healthy volunteers

• General
– Vary by type of activity? Context?

– Sub-group differences?

– Cross-sectional

– Self-report vs objective measures

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Correlates of sedentary behaviour

• There is very little

research examining the
correlates of sedentary
behaviours other than
screen viewing
behaviours.

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Correlates and determinants in low to middle

income countries

• Largely only demographic and biological explored

• Sex, age, socioeconomic status = +ve correlates
• Male, young, and wealthy groups are more active than are others

• Differences between cultures and high income countries

• Physical activity increases with age as people retire in China and
some east Asian nations
• Positive association between socioeconomic status and physical
activity in countries of low and middle income, by contrast with the
inconsistent or inverse results from high-income countries.

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Correlates: Adults

• Limited evidence
• TV time
• Lower SES, occupation, built environment
• Psychological correlates - inconsistent

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Motivation to be more active:

adults

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PA motives and barriers: adults

Motives Barriers

• ADNFS (1992) • ADNFS (1992)

– To feel in good shape physically – Time
– To improve maintain health – Emotional
– To feel a sense of achievement – Physical
– Weight control – Motivational
– Physical appearance – Availability
– Fun
– Independence

ADNFS- Allied Dunbar National Fitness Survey

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Barriers: men

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Barriers: women

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Correlates - summary
• Important for effective intervention design
• Some consistent correlates identified for PA
– Differ by age
– Possibly PA type
• Knowledge, motives and barrier also need
addressing
– Age and gender effects
• Need much more work on correlates of
sedentary behaviour

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Summary
• Some consistent correlates:
• Health status and intention to exercise in adults; male
sex, self-efficacy and previous physical activity at all
ages; and social support in adolescents
• Environmental correlates - few consistent correlates,
domain specific
• Adults = Recreation facilities and locations,
transportation environments, and aesthetics.
• Young people = neighbourhood design, recreation
facilities and locations, and transportation
environment.

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You should now be able to….

• Define correlates, determinants and mediators

• Discuss how the social ecological model fits into
correlates work
• Highlight the key areas of correlates research
• Describe and understand key correlates in adults
• Describe and understand key correlates in children
• Describe and understand key correlates in adolescents
• Understand how correlates are important for
interventions

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