Moore and colleagues investigated barriers and facilitators of rural and urban middle school children's physical activity. Researchers held 13 focus groups with a total of 41 children and 50 parents from one rural and two urban middle schools in eastern North Carolina. In analyzing data from child and parent focus groups, Moore and colleagues found that parents most often identified distance, cost, crime/danger, and television as primary barriers to children's physical activity, while children most often mentioned school policies and crime/danger as primary barriers to their physical activity. With regard to facilitators of physical activity, Moore and colleagues found that parents most often mentioned social/peer interactions, recreation facilities (indoor and outdoor), and parental role modeling, while children most often mentioned social/peer interactions and recreation facilities as primary facilitators of their physical activity. In addition, researchers discovered some differences among urban and rural children and their parents. For example, urban parents were more concerned about gang activity and peer violence as compared to rural parents who were less concerned about crime. Finally, with regard to future physical activity venues, Moore and colleagues found that both parents and children highlighted the need for indoor facilities that enable family/social time and participation in a variety of activities.
Moore and colleagues highlight the need for additional research in this area and the importance of balancing parent and child, as well as urban and rural, needs to enhance children's physical activity.
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