Associations among social capital, parenting for active lifestyles, and youth physical activity in rural families living in upstate New York

► Past research outlines positive associations between social capital and youth physical activity, yet mechanisms explaining this effect have not been explored in detail. ► We examined parents' support of children's physical activity as an intermediary factor linking social capital and youth physical activity. ► Results supported the hypothesized relationships among social capital, parental support, and youth physical activity for older (13-19 years) but not younger (6-12 years) children. ► We found parents may rely more heavily on cues from their social environment to shape their approaches to supporting their children's PA than parents of younger children. ► Integrating family and community programs for youth physical activity may strengthen outcomes for families.