The data consists of measured information on children's fundamental motor skills, height, weight and waist circumference, as well as the amount and intensity of children's physical activity measured with accelerometers. In addition, information about children's perceptions of their own motor competence and physical activity parenting has been collected using questionnaires. Information has been collected from the parents using questionnaires about income and education level, physical activity parenting, amount of children's outdoor activities, children's and parents' amount of physical activity, children's participation in sport, and parenting styles. The material has been collected by random cluster sampling and aiming for geographical representativeness in a total of 97 primary schools across Finland in the years 2018-2020.
Studies have found that the lack of physical activity parenting is associated with physical inactivity in children. The child also affects parenting via his or her own behaviour and personality. This is a globally topical issue, as overweight- and obesity-related health risks are increasing in children, and the growing prevalence of physical inactivity is closely associated with this worrying trend. This study aims to examine how physical activity parenting predicts the change in children’s physical activity over the transitional period from kindergarten to primary school, when children’s physical activity is highly polarised and begins to decline. The study also aims to examine how children’s physical activity and personal characteristics at kindergarten age predict physical activity parenting later at primary school age. The study findings could open new avenues for physical activity promotion and health counselling in early childhood education and care, primary schools, child health clinics and school health care.
