Familial aggregation of leisure-time physical activity across three generations: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study
: Yang, Xiaolin; Kukko, Tuomas; Rovio, Suvi P.; Pahkala, Katja; Salin, Kasper; Hutri-Kähönen, Nina; Raitakari, Olli T.; Tammelin, Tuija H.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
: 2026
Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
: 14034948251395569
: 1403-4948
: 1651-1905
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/14034948251395569
: https://doi.org/10.1177/14034948251395569
: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/508588669
Aims:
Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is known to be hereditary for two generations, but its transmission beyond that is less studied. This study examined LTPA aggregation in three-generation families.
Methods:Data on self-reported LTPA were extracted from the Young Finns Study in 2018–2020, including three generational groups: offspring (G2; aged 7–38 years, n = 2499), parents (G1; aged 43–58 years, n = 1960) and grandparents (G0; aged 58–94 years, n = 2190). In the analysis, G2 was categorized into two age groups: youth offspring (aged 7–18 years) and adult offspring (aged 19–38 years). Correlations, chi-square test and binary logistic regressions were used to compare the differences in LTPA levels (low vs. high) between G1–G2, G0–G2 and G0–G1, stratified by gender and age.
Results:In the youth offspring group, high-active G1 fathers were more likely to have highly active G2 sons, while high-active G1 mothers were more likely to have highly active G2 daughters when compared with their low-active counterparts. High-active G0 maternal grandmothers had a higher probability of having highly active G2 granddaughters than low-active maternal grandmothers. In the adult offspring group, high-active G0 maternal grandfathers were more likely to have highly active G2 grandsons compared with low-active maternal grandfathers.
Conclusions:The study highlights the role of familial modelling in shaping LTPA behaviours, especially in younger generations. The findings support targeted, family-based interventions to promote LTPA early in life, considering gender- and age-specific dynamics.
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The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Academy of Finland (grant numbers 356405, 322098, 286284, 134309 (EYE), 126925, 121584, 124282, 129378 (SALVE), 117797 (GENDI) and 141071 (SKIDI); the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture; the Social Insurance Institution of Finland; Competitive State Research Financing of the Expert Responsibility area of Kuopio, Tampere and Turku University Hospitals (grant number X51001); Juho Vainio Foundation; Paavo Nurmi Foundation; Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research; Finnish Cultural Foundation; the Sigrid Juselius Foundation; Tampere Tuberculosis Foundation; Emil Aaltonen Foundation; Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation; Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation; Diabetes Research Foundation of Finnish Diabetes Association; EU Horizon 2020 (grant number 755320 for TAXINOMISIS and grant number 848146 for To Aition); European Research Council (grant number 742927 for MULTIEPIGEN project); Tampere University Hospital Supporting Foundation; Finnish Society of Clinical Chemistry; the Cancer Foundation Finland; pBETTER4U_EU (Preventing obesity through Biologically and bEhaviorally Tailored inTERventions for you; project 101080117); CVDLink (EU grant number 101137278), the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation, and Academy of Finland (research fellowship number 322112).
