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Accelerometer-derived physical activity levels of preschoolers: a meta-analysis
Daniel B Bornstein1, Michael W Beets, Wonwoo Byun
1Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, USA. bornstei@mailbox.sc.edu
Insights
Preschoolers engage in about 43 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) daily. However, interpreting accelerometer data for MVPA requires caution due to varying cut-point methods across studies.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric physical activity research
- Exercise science
- Public health
Background:
- Accurate measurement of physical activity in preschoolers is crucial for developing effective health guidelines.
- Existing research on preschooler physical activity levels shows variability, necessitating a synthesized overview.
- Accelerometer-derived metrics are commonly used but require careful interpretation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize published estimates of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in preschool-aged children (3-5 years).
- To provide a consolidated understanding of physical activity levels in this age group using accelerometer data.
- To highlight challenges in interpreting accelerometer-derived MVPA data.
Main Methods:
- A meta-analysis was conducted on previously published studies.
- A comprehensive literature search identified studies reporting accelerometer-derived MVPA in preschoolers up to March 2010.
- Random effects models were used to calculate point estimates and confidence intervals for MVPA in minutes and percentage of time, as well as accelerometer counts per minute (cpm).
Main Results:
- The meta-analysis included 29 articles representing 6309 preschoolers.
- Overall, preschoolers averaged 42.8 minutes of MVPA daily, with boys engaging in more activity than girls (54.4 min vs. 45.4 min).
- This equated to approximately 5.5% of daily time spent in MVPA, with boys at 7.1% and girls at 6.3%. Studies using ActiGraph accelerometers reported an average of 714 cpm.
Conclusions:
- Differences in accelerometer cut-point methodologies confound the interpretation of MVPA data in preschoolers.
- Caution is advised when using these activity levels to inform policy, including the development of physical activity guidelines.
- Standardization of accelerometer-derived MVPA measurement is needed for unbiased cross-study comparisons.
Objectives:
This study synthesized the published estimates of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPAd(-1)) of preschooler-age children (3-5 years).
Design:
Meta-analysis of previously published studies reporting accelerometer-derived estimates of daily MVPA of preschoolers.
Methods:
A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify studies published by March 2010 that reported daily minutes of accelerometer-derived MVPA in preschool-age children (3-5 years). Random effects point estimates and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated based on study weighted means and standard deviations of raw accelerometer counts per minute (cpm) and reported minutes of MVPA and/or percentage of time spent in MVPAd(-1).
Results:
29 articles representing 6309 preschoolers were included. Overall, preschoolers engaged in 42.8 min (95% CI 28.9-56.8) of MVPAd(-1), and 54.4 min (95% CI 29.9-78.9) and 45.4 min (95% CI 25.2-65.6) for boys and girls separately. This translated into approximately 5.5% (95% CI 3.7-7.2%) of time spent in MVPAd(-1), and 7.1% (95% CI 3.9-10.3%) for boys and 6.3% (95% CI 3.9-8.7%) for girls. Studies (76%) using ActiGraph accelerometers reported an average of 714 cpm (95% CI 678-751), with boys and girls having 783 cpm (95% CI 753-813) and 696 cpm (95% CI 665-727), respectively.
Conclusions:
Interpretation of accelerometer-derived MVPA is confounded by differences in cutpoints applied within a study. Great care, therefore, should be taken when interpreting the activity levels of preschoolers to inform policy decisions, such as the development of physical activity guidelines. Hence, considerable attention is required to unify accelerometer-derived MVPA so that unbiased comparisons across studies can be made.
