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Correlates of physical activity in First Nations youth residing in First Nations and northern communities in Canada

  • Quantitative Research
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Canadian Journal of Public Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

Physical activity (PA) can help youth achieve balance among physical, mental, emotional and spiritual dimensions of health. The objective was to identify individual, family and community factors associated with PA among First Nations (FN) youth residing in on-reserve and northern FN communities.

Methods

Participants were 4,837 youth (12–17 years of age) responding to the 2008/10 First Nations Regional Health Survey. Through in-person interviews, youth responded to questions about moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), participation in traditional physical activities, and individuallevel, family and community factors.

Results

When averaged across all days of the year, 65% of FN youth accumulated at least 60 min/day of MVPA and 48% of youth participated in at least one traditional FN PA in the previous year. Being male, having a lower number of chronic conditions, living in balance physically, living with at least one biological parent, having more relatives help youth understand their culture, having more community challenges and having more leisure/recreation facilities were independently associated with an increased likelihood of accumulating ≥60 min of MVPA. Younger age, being male, knowledge and use of FN language, living in balance spiritually, living with at least one biological parent, having more relatives help youth understand their culture, living in a community of ≤300 people, and perceiving the natural environment and community health programs as strengths were independently associated with participation in traditional FN physical activities.

Conclusion

There are several correlates of PA from diverse ecological levels among FN youth.

Résumé

Objectifs

L’activité physique (AP) peut aider les jeunes à trouver un équilibre entre les dimensions physique, mentale, émotionnelle et spirituelle de la santé. Notre objectif était de cerner les facteurs individuels, familiaux et communautaires associés à l’AP chez les jeunes des Premières Nations (PN) résidant dans les réserves et dans les communautés nordiques des PN.

Méthode

Les participants étaient 4 837 jeunes (12–17 ans) ayant répondu à l’Enquête régionale longitudinale sur la santé des Premières Nations de 2008–2010. Au moyen d’entretiens directs, les jeunes ont répondu à des questions sur l’activité physique moyenne à vigoureuse (APMV), la participation aux activités physiques traditionnelles et les facteurs individuels, familiaux et communautaires.

Résultats

En faisant la moyenne sur tous les jours de l’année, 65 % des jeunes des PN avaient accumulé au moins 60 min/jour d’APMV, et 48 % des jeunes avaient participé à au moins une AP traditionnelle au cours de l’année antérieure. Le sexe masculin, le fait d’avoir moins de maladies chroniques, l’équilibre sur le plan physique, le fait de vivre avec au moins un parent biologique, le fait d’avoir plus de parenté pour aider les jeunes à comprendre leur culture, le nombre plus élevé de défis communautaires et le nombre plus élevé d’installations récréatives et de loisir étaient indépendamment associés à la probabilité accrue d’accumuler ≥ 60 min d’APMV. Le jeune âge, le sexe masculin, la connaissance et l’utilisation d’une langue des PN, l’équilibre sur le plan spirituel, le fait de vivre avec au moins un parent biologique, le fait d’avoir plus de parenté pour aider les jeunes à comprendre leur culture, le fait de vivre dans une communauté de ≤ 300 personnes et la perception des programmes axés sur le milieu naturel et la santé communautaire comme étant des forces étaient des facteurs indépendamment associés à la participation aux activités physiques traditionnelles des PN.

conclusion

Chez les jeunes des Premières Nations, il y a plusieurs corrélats de l’activité physique à divers niveaux écologiques.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada

    Lucie Lévesque PhD & Ian Janssen PhD

  2. Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada

    Ian Janssen PhD

  3. First Nations Information Governance Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    Fei Xu PhD

Authors
  1. Lucie Lévesque PhD
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  2. Ian Janssen PhD
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  3. Fei Xu PhD
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First Nations Information Governance Centre

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lucie Lévesque PhD.

Additional information

Source of funding: Funding was provided by the First Nations Information Governance Centre.

Conflict of Interest: Lucie Lévesque and Ian Janssen received consulting fees from the First Nations Information Governance Centre. Fei Xu is employed by the First Nations Information Governance Centre.

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Lévesque, L., Janssen, I., Xu, F. et al. Correlates of physical activity in First Nations youth residing in First Nations and northern communities in Canada. Can J Public Health 106, e29–e35 (2015). https://doi.org/10.17269/CJPH.106.4567

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.17269/CJPH.106.4567

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