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Physical activity among children attending preschools
Russell R Pate1, Karin A Pfeiffer, Stewart G Trost
1Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA. rpate@gwm.sc.edu
Insights
Preschool children
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Childhood Obesity
- Physical Activity Research
Background:
- Rising childhood obesity rates necessitate understanding physical activity in young children.
- Preschool-aged children's physical activity patterns and influencing factors are understudied.
- The role of preschool environments in physical activity is largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify physical activity levels in preschool-aged children during school hours.
- To identify demographic correlates of physical activity in this age group.
- To assess variability in physical activity across different preschool settings.
Main Methods:
- 281 children from 9 preschools participated.
- Actigraph accelerometers measured physical activity for an average of 4.4 hours/day over 6.6 days.
- Child anthropometrics and parent-reported demographic data were collected.
Main Results:
- Preschool setting significantly predicted vigorous physical activity (VPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).
- Boys engaged in more VPA and MVPA than girls.
- Black children showed higher VPA than white children; age was not a significant factor.
Conclusions:
- Significant variability in children's physical activity exists among preschools.
- Preschool policies and practices appear to influence children's overall activity levels.
- Interventions targeting preschool environments may be key to promoting physical activity.
Objectives:
Obesity rates are increasing among children of all ages, and reduced physical activity is a likely contributor to this trend. Little is known about the physical activity behavior of preschool-aged children or about the influence of preschool attendance on physical activity. The purpose of this study was to describe the physical activity levels of children while they attend preschools, to identify the demographic factors that might be associated with physical activity among those children, and to determine the extent to which children's physical activity varies among preschools.
Methods:
A total of 281 children from 9 preschools wore an Actigraph (Fort Walton Beach, FL) accelerometer for an average of 4.4 hours per day for an average of 6.6 days. Each child's height and weight were measured, and parents of participating children provided demographic and education data.
Results:
The preschool that a child attended was a significant predictor of vigorous physical activity (VPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Boys participated in significantly more MVPA and VPA than did girls, and black children participated in more VPA than did white children. Age was not a significant predictor of MVPA or VPA.
Conclusions:
Children's physical activity levels were highly variable among preschools, which suggests that preschool policies and practices have an important influence on the overall activity levels of the children the preschools serve.
