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The measurement of physical activity in young children
1Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40506.
Insights
Accurate measurement of physical activity in young children is challenging. The Caltrac motion sensor shows promise as a valid tool for assessing children's physical activity levels.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Kinesiology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Accurate assessment of physical activity in young children is crucial for understanding health behaviors.
- Existing methods for measuring physical activity in children have limitations in validity and reliability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the validity of various physical activity measures in preschool children.
- To determine the predictive accuracy of the Caltrac motion sensor for physical activity in young children.
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Assessed parent, teacher, and child reports against observed activity in 21 preschool children.
- Study 2: Examined the predictive validity of the Caltrac motion sensor in 51 preschool children.
- Activity levels were objectively measured and compared with various assessment tools.
Main Results:
- Parent, teacher, and child reports were largely ineffective in predicting observed physical activity.
- Children's activity preferences correlated with high-intensity physical activity.
- The Caltrac motion sensor demonstrated a strong correlation (r = .86) with observed physical activity across diverse subgroups.
Conclusions:
- Subjective measures of physical activity in young children have limited validity.
- The Caltrac motion sensor appears to be a valid and reliable tool for measuring physical activity in preschool children.
- This technology can aid in understanding individual differences in children's physical activity patterns.
Abstract:
Two studies were conducted to determine the validity of various measures of physical activity in young children. In Study 1, 21 preschool children were utilized to explore how well measures of children's activity obtained from parents, teachers, and the children predicted observed behavior at school and in the home. Study 2 (n = 51 preschool children) focused on the predictive validity of the Caltrac motion sensor. In both studies, detailed minute-by-minute ratings of children's activity in Study 1 were generally ineffective in predicting observed physical activity. Children's activity preferences, however, were significantly related to the proportion of high intensity physical activity performed. In Study 2, there was a significant relationship (r = .86, p less than .0001) between Caltrac readings and observed physical activity. This correlation was similar for boys and girls, normal and overweight children, and younger and older children. These findings suggest that the Caltrac monitor may provide a valid index of individual differences in physical activity in young children.