Re-assessing the social climate of physical (in)activity in Canada
Abstract Social-ecological models suggest that a strategy for increasing population physical activity participation is to reconstruct the “social climate” through changing social norms and beliefs about physical activity (PA). In this study, we assessed whether the PA social climate in Canada has ch...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-12-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17436-3 |
| _version_ | 1797376753244569600 |
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| author | Matthew James Fagan Leigh M. Vanderloo Ananya Banerjee Leah J. Ferguson Eun-Young Lee Norman O’Reilly Ryan E. Rhodes John C. Spence Mark S. Tremblay Guy Faulkner |
| author_facet | Matthew James Fagan Leigh M. Vanderloo Ananya Banerjee Leah J. Ferguson Eun-Young Lee Norman O’Reilly Ryan E. Rhodes John C. Spence Mark S. Tremblay Guy Faulkner |
| author_sort | Matthew James Fagan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Social-ecological models suggest that a strategy for increasing population physical activity participation is to reconstruct the “social climate” through changing social norms and beliefs about physical activity (PA). In this study, we assessed whether the PA social climate in Canada has changed over a five-year period after controlling for sociodemographic factors and PA levels. Replicating a survey administered in 2018, a sample of adults in Canada (n = 2,507) completed an online survey assessing social climate dimensions, including but not limited to descriptive and injunctive norms. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and binary logistic regressions were conducted to assess the associations of sociodemographic factors and year of the survey with social climate dimensions. Results suggest some social climate constructs are trending in a positive direction between 2018 and 2023. Physical inactivity was considered a serious public health concern by 49% of respondents, second to unhealthy diets (52%). Compared to those who participated in the 2018 survey, participants in 2023 were less likely to see others walking or wheeling in their neighbourhood (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.41, 1.78), but more likely to see people exercising (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.73, 0.92) and kids playing in their neighbourhood (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.66, 0.85). No changes were reported between 2018 and 2023 in individuals’ perceptions of whether physical inactivity is due to individual versus external factors (OR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.87, 1.13). The findings of this work indicate a modest positive shift in some measured components of the social climate surrounding PA although attributing causes for these changes remain speculative. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T19:43:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3b179a8aa1d94f2d858e3e23d49dde69 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T19:43:16Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-3b179a8aa1d94f2d858e3e23d49dde692023-12-24T12:31:19ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582023-12-0123111210.1186/s12889-023-17436-3Re-assessing the social climate of physical (in)activity in CanadaMatthew James Fagan0Leigh M. VanderlooAnanya Banerjee1Leah J. Ferguson2Eun-Young Lee3Norman O’Reilly4Ryan E. Rhodes5John C. Spence6Mark S. Tremblay7Guy Faulkner8School of Kinesiology, University of British ColumbiaDepartment of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill UniversityCollege of Kinesiology, University of SaskatchewanSchool of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s UniversityGraduate School of Business, University of MaineBehavioural Medicine Laboratory, School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education, University of VictoriaFaculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, University of AlbertaChildren’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research InstituteSchool of Kinesiology, University of British ColumbiaAbstract Social-ecological models suggest that a strategy for increasing population physical activity participation is to reconstruct the “social climate” through changing social norms and beliefs about physical activity (PA). In this study, we assessed whether the PA social climate in Canada has changed over a five-year period after controlling for sociodemographic factors and PA levels. Replicating a survey administered in 2018, a sample of adults in Canada (n = 2,507) completed an online survey assessing social climate dimensions, including but not limited to descriptive and injunctive norms. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and binary logistic regressions were conducted to assess the associations of sociodemographic factors and year of the survey with social climate dimensions. Results suggest some social climate constructs are trending in a positive direction between 2018 and 2023. Physical inactivity was considered a serious public health concern by 49% of respondents, second to unhealthy diets (52%). Compared to those who participated in the 2018 survey, participants in 2023 were less likely to see others walking or wheeling in their neighbourhood (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.41, 1.78), but more likely to see people exercising (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.73, 0.92) and kids playing in their neighbourhood (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.66, 0.85). No changes were reported between 2018 and 2023 in individuals’ perceptions of whether physical inactivity is due to individual versus external factors (OR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.87, 1.13). The findings of this work indicate a modest positive shift in some measured components of the social climate surrounding PA although attributing causes for these changes remain speculative.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17436-3Ecological modelPhysical activityPolicyPublic opinionSocial climate |
| spellingShingle | Matthew James Fagan Leigh M. Vanderloo Ananya Banerjee Leah J. Ferguson Eun-Young Lee Norman O’Reilly Ryan E. Rhodes John C. Spence Mark S. Tremblay Guy Faulkner Re-assessing the social climate of physical (in)activity in Canada BMC Public Health Ecological model Physical activity Policy Public opinion Social climate |
| title | Re-assessing the social climate of physical (in)activity in Canada |
| title_full | Re-assessing the social climate of physical (in)activity in Canada |
| title_fullStr | Re-assessing the social climate of physical (in)activity in Canada |
| title_full_unstemmed | Re-assessing the social climate of physical (in)activity in Canada |
| title_short | Re-assessing the social climate of physical (in)activity in Canada |
| title_sort | re assessing the social climate of physical in activity in canada |
| topic | Ecological model Physical activity Policy Public opinion Social climate |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17436-3 |
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