Les multiples trajectoires d’activité physique supervisée et non supervisée
chez les enfants du primaire au Québec : un modèle écologique
Context : Physical activity is a central component of a child physical, psychological and social development, most importantly in a society where sedentary behaviors and obesity become a more significant problematic. Few studies have investigated the developmental trajectories and predictors of physical activity over time. Furthermore, even fewer studies have investigated supervised and non-supervised physical activity separately. Objectives : The present study has for main goals (a) to identify developmental trajectories of supervised and non-supervised physical activity in elementary school children (b) to assess the link between these two types of physical activity (c) to identify neighborhood, family and individual predictors of these two types of physical activity. Participants: 1 814 children (51% boys) born in 1998 who participated in the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD). Data were mainly collected through mothers’ report. Measures : The frequency of physical activity was measured at four time points when children were aged between 5 and 8 years old. Predictors and control variables were assessed when children were 4 or 5 years old. Results : Three trajectories of supervised and non-supervised activities have been identified. Trajectories of supervised physical activity (10%, 55.3% et 34.7%) are relatively stable although they are slightly increasing over time. Trajectories of nonsupervised physical activity (14.1%, 28.1% et 57.8%) are relatively stable although one group (28.1%) is increasing considerably. Supervised and non-supervised physical activity trajectories are not related to each other. Mother’s education, neighborhood safety and child’s prosociality are related to high frequency of both physical activities. Sufficient revenue and mother’s involvement in sport is related to frequent supervised vi physical activity trajectories as intact family predict less frequent non-supervised physical activity trajectories. Conclusion : First, involvement in supervised and non-supervised physical activity is relatively stable between 5 and 8 years old. Second, supervised and non-supervised physical activity appear to be two different processes that have their own set of predictors. Third, an ecological and multidimensional approach is required to capture the complexity of these two processes.
Supervised physical activity Non-supervised physical activity Non-parametric trajectories Ecological approach