Abstract
The purpose of an ecological study was to investigate relationship between family function and spontaneous physical activity habit in parent and child from a community random sample. Thirty percent of 9,534 parents of 3- to 14-year child were randomly sampled by child’s age and dwelling area of A-city,Tokyo on January 2010. Analyzed population consisted of 805 parents who provided valid responses in a mailed self-administered questionnaire. Correlation between parent-reported total score of family APGAR scale and frequency of familial physical activity and/or exercise was statistically significant (r=0.13, P <0.01). Coefficient of correlation differed in characteristics of family member (child and parents) and dwelling area of family. The results suggested that family function and spontaneous physical activity habit would relate each other in the investigated community. Therefore, spontaneous physical activity habit in parent and child would be expected to promote family health in child bearing generation.
