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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
Pediatrics
|November 3, 2004
Summary
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.