{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,16]],"date-time":"2026-09-16T18:02:49Z","timestamp":1789581769007,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,16]],"date-time":"2026-09-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789516800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Physical activity (PA) is essential for children\u2019s physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development; however, many children do not meet recommended PA levels, particularly in low- and middle-income settings. Parents play a critical role in shaping children\u2019s PA behaviours, yet limited empirical evidence exists regarding parental perceptions of PA participation, satisfaction, barriers, and improvement strategies within the Nigerian context.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A qualitative study was conducted in Enugu City, Nigeria, using in-depth semi-structured interviews with 20 parents of children enrolled in nursery, primary, and secondary schools. Participants were recruited purposively from community settings, including churches, marketplaces, shopping centres, and recreational areas within Enugu City. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke\u2019s framework. Reporting adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Five themes were identified: (1) parents\u2019 perceptions of children\u2019s PA participation as context-dependent and variable; (2) satisfaction with PA opportunities existing along a continuum from high satisfaction to dissatisfaction; (3) perceived enablers, including accessible spaces, social support, parental involvement, and safety; (4) perceived barriers, notably time constraints, academic prioritisation, limited facilities, safety concerns, and parental availability; and (5) strategies for improvement, emphasising school-based reforms, parental engagement, community collaboration, and policy-level support.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Parental satisfaction with children\u2019s PA opportunities was mixed and frequently conditional, with many participants expressing dissatisfaction related to academic prioritisation, limited time for physical education, and inadequate recreational facilities. The findings suggest that improving both satisfaction and participation may require strengthened school-based physical activity provision, greater parental engagement, and enhanced community infrastructure to support balanced child development.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0351523","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,16]],"date-time":"2026-09-16T17:22:32Z","timestamp":1789579352000},"page":"e0351523","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Parental perceptions of children\u2019s physical activity participation: An exploration of satisfaction, school-based engagement, barriers to participation and preferred strategies for improvement"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"given":"Chidiebele Petronilla","family":"Ojukwu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Okolo","family":"Chukwunonyelum Judith","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Adaeze Imelda","family":"Onyekwelu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chiedozie","family":"Eleje","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Juliet Lucy","family":"Ekowa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-3140-7504","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Kadiree 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