Social support and physical activity in young women in disadvantaged neighborhoods

People tend to become less physically active in transitioning from adolescence to adulthood. Evidence suggests that social support as well as 'intrapersonal' factors  such as self-efficacy, outcome expectations, enjoyment) are associated with physical activity. The aim of a study just published in PLOS One was to explore whether cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of social support from family and friends with leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among young women living in disadvantaged areas were mediated by these intrapersonal factors, i.e. to explore if social support may help to increase self-efficacy, enjoyment et cetera, to help to increase LTPA. Firsts authors is Anouk Middelweerd, en this study was in close collaboration with and making use of data available at the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Deakin University, Australia.
Survey data were collected from 18–30 year-old women living in disadvantaged suburbs of Victoria, Australia as part of the longitudinal READI study.
Results from the cross-sectional analyses suggest that the associations of social support from family and from friends with LTPA are mediated by PA enjoyment, outcome expectations and self-efficacy. However, longitudinal analyses did not confirm these findings.