Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Background: The association between mothers' and their young children's physical activity is poorly understood, yet important for developing effective strategies to promote physical activity in young families. This study aimed to examine the association between different intensities of physical activity between mothers and their children and to examine the role of maternal self-efficacy. Methods: 107 mothers and their 1-3 year old children were recruited between July 2013 and March 2014. Mothers' and children's physical activity was assessed using an activity monitor concurrently over seven days. Maternal self-efficacy for promoting physical activity in her child was self-reported in a questionnaire and maternal responses were summed to provide an overall self-efficacy score. Linear regression models were used to examine associations between different intensities of mothers' and children's physical activity, and a mediation analyses was conducted to see if the relationship between mother-child physical activity was mediated by maternal self-efficacy. Analyses controlled for factors known to influence mothers' and children's physical activity levels. Results: Mothers' light-intensity physical activity was positively related to children's light-intensity physical activity. Maternal self-efficacy partially mediated this relationship. No association was observed between mothers and children's moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, although a positive association was observed between mothers' moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity and their self-efficacy. Conclusion: The findings from this study can be used to inform public health programs in the community. For example, programs should focus on increasing mothers' self-efficacy as well as mothers' engagement in physical activity with their children. Maternal engagement in MVPA may also be important for increasing mothers' self-efficacy for supporting their children's health behaviours