Physical Activity and the Family

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The BMED lab has focused on family physical activity promotion research, from early parenthood to support of child and youth health, for nearly two decades.  

We are currently recruiting participants for two studies related to habit formation and physical activity in families with either preschoolers (3 to 5 years) or children (6 to 12 years). Find out more about the studies and how to participate here.

 

Key Papers about Parental Support of Child Physical Activity 

  1. Brennan, C., Streight, E., Cheng, S., & Rhodes, R. E. (2025). Parent’s experiences of family-based physical activity interventions: A systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 22(1), 90. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-025-01778-9
  2. Forghani Soong, Y., Hollman, H., & Rhodes, R. E. (2025). Association between child and youth physical activity and family functioning: A systematic review of observational studies. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-025-01782-z
  3. Rhodes, R. E., Banik, A., Szczuka, Z., Aulbach, M. B., DeSmet, A., Durand, H., Gatting, L., Green, J., Hillison, E. Z., Masaryk, R., Radtke, T., Rigby, B. P., Schenkel, K., Warner, L. M., Jones, C. M., & Luszczynska, A. (2024). Extending our understanding of the social determinants of physical activity and sedentary behaviors in families: A systems mapping approach. Journal of Physical Activity & Health, 22(1), 53–68. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2024-0113
  4. Rhodes, R. E., Hollman, H., & Sui, W. (2024). Family-based physical activity interventions and family functioning: A systematic review. Family Process, 63(1), 392–413. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12864
  5. Hwang, Y., Boyd, M., Naylor, P. J., Rhodes, R. E., Liu, S., Moldenhauer, R., Li, J., Wright, C., Buckler, E. J., & Carson, V. (2023). Piloting the virtual PLAYshop program: A parent-focused physical literacy intervention for early childhood. Children, 10(4), Article 720. https://doi.org/10.3390/children10040720
  6. Lane, C., Naylor, P. J., Predy, M., Kurtzhals, M., Rhodes, R. E., Morton, K., Hunter, S., & Carson, V. (2022). Exploring a parent-focused physical literacy intervention for early childhood: A pragmatic controlled trial of the PLAYshop. BMC Public Health, 22, Article 659. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13048-5
  7. Jarvis, J. W., Berry, T. R., Carson, V., Rhodes, R. E., Lithopoulos, A., & Latimer-Cheung, A. E. (2021). Examining differences in parents’ perceptions of children’s physical activity versus screen time guidelines and behaviours. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 57(9), 1448–1453. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpc.15518
  8. Perdew, M., Liu, S., Rhodes, R. E., Ball, G., Masse, L., Hartrick, T., Strange, K., & Naylor, P. J. (2021). The effectiveness of a blended in-person and online family-based childhood obesity management program. Childhood Obesity, 17(1), 58–67. https://doi.org/10.1089/chi.2020.0236
  9. Rhodes, R. E., Quinlan, A., Naylor, P. J., Warburton, D. E. R., & Blanchard, C. M. (2021). Predicting family and child physical activity across six months of a family-based intervention: An application of theory of planned behavior, planning, and habit. Journal of Sports Sciences, 39(13), 1461–1471. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2021.1877460
  10. Bassett-Gunter, R. L., Tanna, S., Arbour-Nicitopoulos, K. A., Rhodes, R. E., & Leo, J. (2020). Understanding the role of parents in supporting physical activity among children and youth with disabilities: A behavior change theory perspective. European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity, 13(11), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.5507/euj.2020.008
  11. Rhodes, R. E., Guerrero, M. D., Vanderloo, L. M., Barbeau, K., Birken, C. S., Chaput, J., & Tremblay, M. S. (2020). Development of a consensus statement on the role of the family in the physical activity, sedentary, and sleep behaviours of children and youth. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 17(1), 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-00973-0
  12. Rhodes, R. E., Perdew, M., & Malli, S. (2020). Correlates of parental support of child and youth physical activity: A systematic review. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 27(6), 636–646. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-020-09909-1
  13. Rhodes, R. E., Berry, T., Faulkner, G., Latimer-Cheung, A. E., O’Reilly, N., Tremblay, M. S, Vanderloo, L., & Spence, J. C. (2019). Application of the Multi-Process Action Control framework to understand parental support of child and youth physical activity, sleep, and screen time behaviors. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 11(2), 223-239. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12150
  14. Rhodes, R. E., Blanchard, C., Quinlan, A., Naylor, P. J., & Warburton, D. E. R. (2019). Family physical activity planning and child physical activity outcomes: A randomized trial. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 57(2), 135-292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2019.03.007
  15. Rhodes, R. E., & Lim, C. (2018). Promoting parent and child physical activity together: Elicitation of potential intervention targets and preferences. Health Education & Behavior, 45(1), 112-123. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198117704266

 

Key Papers about the Physical Activity of New Parents

  1. Hollman, H., Tran, S., Davenport, M. H., Liu, S., Sui, W., Ross, A., Hjartar, E., & Rhodes, R. E. (2025). A systematic review of postpartum physical activity intervention mediators. Health Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001511
  2. Rhodes, R. E., Wierts, C. M., Beauchamp, M. R., Carson, V., Courtnall, S., & Blanchard, C. M. (2025). Changes in identity and habit formation during 3 months of sport and physical activity participation among parents with young children. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 17(1), Article e70009. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.70009
  3. Rhodes, R. E., Beauchamp, M. R., Carson, V., Courtnall, S., Wierts, C. M., & Blanchard, C. M. (2024). Effect of recreational sport and physical activity participation on well-being during early parenthood: A randomized controlled trial. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 59(1), Article kaae081. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaae081
  4. Rhodes, R. E., Blanchard, C. M., Hartson, K. R., Symons Downs, D., Warburton, D. E. R., & Beauchamp, M. R. (2023). Affective response to exercise and affective judgments as predictors of physical activity intention and behavior among new mothers in their first six months postpartum. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 57(4), 344–353. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaac067
  5. Divine, A., Blanchard, C. M., Benoit, C., Symons Downs, D., & Rhodes, R. E. (2022). The influence of sleep and movement behaviors on mental health and life satisfaction during the transition to parenthood. Journal of the National Sleep Foundation, 8(5), 475–483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2022.06.013
  6. Grant, S., Lithopoulos, A., & Rhodes, R. E. (2022). Understanding action control of physical activity among mothers with young children. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 20(2), 569–585. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2020.1869805
  7. Rhodes, R. E., Beauchamp, M. R., Quinlan, A., Symons Downs, D., Warburton, D. E. R., & Blanchard, C. M. (2021). Predicting the physical activity of new parents who participated in a physical activity intervention. Social Science & Medicine, 284, Article 114221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114221
  8. Rhodes, R. E., Blanchard, C. M., Quinlan, A., Symons Downs, D., Warburton, D. E. R., & Beauchamp, M. R. (2021). Couple-based physical activity planning for new parents: A randomized trial. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 61(4), 518–528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2021.04.020
  9. Rhodes, R. E., Quinlan, A., Naylor, P. J., Warburton, D. E. R., & Blanchard, C. M. (2020). Predicting personal physical activity of parents during participation in a family intervention targeting their children. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 43, 209–224. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-019-00116-2
  10. Rhodes, R. E., Beauchamp, M., Blanchard, C. M., Bredin, S. S. D., Warburton, D. E. R., & Maddison, R. (2018). Use of in-home stationary cycling equipment among parents in a family-based randomized trial intervention. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 21(10), 1050-1056. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2018.03.013

Click here for Dr. Rhodes' full list of publications.