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The childcare environment and children's physical activity
Julie K Bower1, Derek P Hales, Deborah F Tate
1Department of Nutrition, Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|December 18, 2007
Summary
Childcare environments supporting physical activity promote healthy behaviors in preschoolers. Supportive settings correlate with increased moderate-to-vigorous activity and reduced sedentary time, highlighting environmental impacts on child health.
Area of Science:
- Child Health
- Behavioral Science
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Childcare settings are crucial for promoting physical activity and healthy behaviors in young children.
- Increased child care attendance necessitates understanding environmental influences on physical activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationships between childcare environments and preschool children's physical activity behavior.
- Identify specific environmental factors influencing children's physical activity in child care.
Main Methods:
- Assessed environmental aspects in 20 childcare centers using the Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation (EPAO) instrument.
- Measured physical activity behavior through direct observation over two days.
Main Results:
- Children in supportive childcare environments engaged in 15% more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity compared to 9% in less supportive environments.
- Supportive environments were associated with less sedentary time (50% vs. 61%) and higher mean physical activity levels.
- Key environmental factors included active opportunities, play equipment availability, sedentary environment characteristics, and staff training.
Conclusions:
- Childcare center environments significantly impact children's physical activity behavior.
- Identified specific environmental factors that relate to children's physical activity.
- These findings are crucial for designing effective interventions to promote physical activity in early childhood settings.
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