Abstract
This study assessed the perceptions that rural parents had on whether having children makes exercise difficult. Encouragement from children to exercise and levels of joint exercise with children was also examined. Investigators analyzed a cross-sectional telephone survey including 495 adults younger than 60 years from 2 rural Iowa counties (212 with children). Forty percent of parents reported that children interfered with their ability to exercise at least sometimes (17.9% often or almost always). The percentage was greater among women and those with children younger than 5 years. Of the parents, 26.9% reported exercising with their children often or almost always and 33.0% reported exercising with their children sometimes. Some parents reported encouragement to exercise from children (24.1% often or almost always, 28.8% sometimes). Those who reported encouragement from children were more likely to exercise with their child. Some parents perceived that having children detracts from their ability to exercise, particularly women. Joint parent-child exercise and encouragement of parent exercise by children might motivate parents to exercise.