Table 1.
Overview of characteristics of 47 studies included in systematic review of family‐based physical activity promotion
| Proportion | Citations | Favoured intervention # | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study design | |||
| Randomized controlled trials (RCT)/cluster RCT | 57% | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27 | 59% |
| Comparison trials | 26% | 28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39 | 67% |
| Pilot studies or feasibility trials of any design | 17% | 40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47 | 88% |
| Year of publication | |||
| 2014–2015 | 6% | 14,23,39,46 | 75% |
| 2012–2013 | 36% | 1,4,5,10,21,24,25,26,28,31,35,40,41,42,44,45,47 | 71% |
| 2010–2011 | 26% | 6,7,8,9,11,27,30,33,36,37,38,43 | 67% |
| 1983–2009 | 32% | 2,3,12,13,15,16,17,18,19,20,22,29,32,34 | 57% |
| Study location | |||
| USA | 59% | 1,2,6,7,11,13,15,16,17,18,19,21,22,23,29,30,31,32,34,35,36,37,39,40,41,44,45,46 | 68% |
| UK | 15% | 8,12,26,28,38,42,47 | 58% |
| Australia | 11% | 14,20,25,27,33 | 20% |
| Other locations + | 15% | 3,4,5,9,10,24,43 | 100% |
| Sample size (‘target’ child) | |||
| <60 participants | 45% | 2,6,8,12,20,21,25,26,27,29,30,32,36,37,39,40,41,42, 44,45,46 | 57% |
| 60–200 participants | 32% | 3,7,9,13,14,16,18,22,31,33,34,35,38,43,45 | 73% |
| ≥200 participants | 23% | 1,4,5,10,11,15,19,23,24,28,47 | 72% |
| Age of target child | |||
| 5–8 years | 15% | 1,20,23,24,42,43,47 | 71% |
| 8–11 years | 70% | 3,4,5,7,8,9,10,11,12,14,17,19,21,22,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,41,44,45,46 | 60% |
| ≥11 years | 13% | 6,13,15,16,18,40 | 50% |
| Not reported | 2% | 2 | 0% |
| Sex of target child | |||
| Mixed sex | 83% | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,13,14,15,16,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,30,31,32,33,34,35,38,39,40,41,42,43, 44,47 | 63% |
| Girls only | 15% | 12,17,29,36,37,45,46 | 86% |
| Not reported | 2% | 42 | 100% |
| Weight status of target child | |||
| Majority healthy weight | 43% | 1,3,4,5,6,7,10,11,12,14,18,23,24,26,29,31,32,37,38,47 | 80% |
| Majority overweight or obese | 36% | 1,8,18,19,20,21,27,28,30,33,34,35,37,39,40,41,44 | 59% |
| Not reported | 21% | 2,9,13,15,22,25,41,42,43,46 | 50% |
| Follow‐up (post‐intervention) periods reported | |||
| Short term: up to 6 months | 51% | 9,10,13,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,25,26,27,29,31,36,39,41,42,43,44,46,47 | 58% |
| Medium term: 6–12 months | 19% | 3,4,6,7,8,14,17,21,32 | 89% |
| Long term: 12 months or longer | 30% | 1,4,8,10,13,15,19,21,23,24,27,30,33,34 | 79% |
| Physical activity measure * | |||
| Subjective (e.g. questionnaire, recall diary, interview) | 53% | 1,3,4,5,11,13,15,16,19,20,21,22,27,28,30,32,34,35,38,40,41,43,44,46,47 | 68% |
| Objective (e.g. pedo/accelerometry (Actical, ActiGraph or Caltrac devices), observation) | 46% | 2,6,7,8,9,10,12,14,17,18,23,24,25,26,29,31,33,36,37, 39,42,45 | 64% |
| Physical activity outcome reported | |||
| Accelerometer‐derived MVPA or counts/min | 34% | 6,7,8,17,18,21,23,24,26,29,31,33,36,37,42,45 | 63% |
| Pedometer‐derived step count | 15% | 9,10,12,14,25,39,41 | 71% |
| Self‐reported PA frequency (>60 min) | 45% | 1,3,11,13,15,16,19,20,22,27,28,30,32,34,35,38,40,43,44,46,47 | 67% |
| Self‐reported sport, dance, PE or outdoor play participation or direct observation | 6% | 2,4,5 | 67% |
| Theoretical grounding | |||
| No theory identified | 43% | 5,8,10,12,17,18,19,20,21,22,26,27,28,30,31,38,40,41,44,47 | 60% |
| Theory‐based | 57% | 1,2,3,4,6,7,9,11,13,14,16,23,24,25,29,32,33,34,35,36,37,39,42,43,45,46 | 74% |
| Intervention duration | |||
| ≤1 month | 17% | 12,20,22,32,34,36,41,43 | 63% |
| 1–2 months | 23% | 4,6,7,9,13,16,25,27,40,42,46 | 64% |
| >2 to 3 months | 34% | 14,18,19,21,26,28,29,30,31,33,35,37,38,39,44,47 | 69% |
| >3 months | 26% | 1,2,3,5,8,10,11,15,17,23,24,45 | 67% |
| Intervention deliverer | |||
| Community leaders | 19% | 1,3,13,15,22,29,30,44,45 | 67% |
| Medical or healthcare staff | 23% | 4,5,7,8,20,21,23,28,36,37,47 | 55% |
| Research team | 19% | 9,14,16,25,26,32,34,42,46 | 67% |
| Remote delivery (online or mail) | 15% | 6,24,31,39,40,41,43 | 71% |
| Teaching staff (specializing in Physical Education) | 2% | 33 | 0% |
| Not reported | 21% | 2,10,11,12,17,18,19,30,35,38 | 90% |
| Intervention strategy applied † | |||
| Education | 89% | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,40, 41,42,43,44,45,46,47 | 67% |
| Goal‐setting | 40% | 1,2,3,5,6,12,13,15,16,18,19,23,25,30,31,39,41,45,46 | 53% |
| Reinforcement of positive health behaviours | 17% | 5,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,19,20,25,26,33,39,41,45 | 56% |
| Role modelling | 17% | 3,12,13,14,20,23,34,39 | 63% |
| Intervention focus | |||
| PA only | 21% | 1,10,12,17,22,24,26,31,39,43 | 70% |
| Included other behaviour (e.g. diet, screen time) | 79% | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,11,13,14,15,16,18,23,25,27,28,29,30,36,37,38,41,42 | 62% |
#
Corresponds with a significant, positive change in outcome (see Supplementary Table 1 for full details).
+
Singapore, Mexico, Italy, New Zealand, Canada and Germany.
*
Some studies employed both subjective and objective methods to measure physical activity.
†
Some studies employed more than one intervention strategy.