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Correlates of objectively measured sedentary behavior in US preschool children
Wonwoo Byun1, Marsha Dowda, Russell R Pate
1Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
Insights
Sedentary behavior in preschool children varied by gender, with different factors influencing boys and girls. Identifying these correlates is key for future intervention strategies to reduce sedentary time.
Area of Science:
- Child Health
- Behavioral Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Sedentary behavior is a growing concern in early childhood.
- Understanding its correlates is crucial for developing effective interventions.
- Objective measurement provides reliable data on sedentary behavior patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify correlates of objectively measured sedentary behavior in a diverse preschool population.
- To examine gender-specific associations between various factors and sedentary behavior.
Main Methods:
- 331 preschool children (51% male, 51% black) from diverse backgrounds participated.
- Sedentary behavior was measured using ActiGraph accelerometers over 2 weeks.
- Parent surveys collected data on 29 potential correlates across multiple domains.
Main Results:
- Girls exhibited higher sedentary behavior than boys (33.2 vs 32.4 min/hr).
- Significant correlates differed by gender: weekday screen time and home equipment for boys; BMI z-score and athletic coordination for girls.
- Models explained 9.1% of sedentary behavior variance in boys and 6.9% in girls.
Conclusions:
- Objectively measured sedentary behavior in US preschoolers is associated with various factors.
- No common correlates were identified for both genders.
- Future interventions should target gender-specific correlates to reduce sedentary behavior.
Objective:
To identify correlates of objectively measured sedentary behavior in a diverse sample of preschool children.
Methods:
A total of 331 children (51% male, 51% black) from a wide range of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds in greater Columbia, South Carolina, were recruited for this study. Sedentary behavior (minutes/hour) was measured by using ActiGraph accelerometers (<37.5 counts per 15 seconds) over a 2-week period. All potential correlates except for anthropometric data of children were measured by a parent survey. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between 29 potential correlates across multiple domains (demographic, biological, psychosocial, behavioral, and physical environmental) and sedentary behavior measured by accelerometry in preschool children.
Results:
Girls spent more time in sedentary behavior than boys (33.2 vs 32.4 minutes/hour; P = .05). Six and 8 potential correlates were found to be significant in univariate analyses for boys and girls, respectively. In the gender-specific final model, for boys, a child's weekday TV/video games and physical activity equipment in the home were significant correlates of sedentary behavior (R(2) = 0.091). For girls, BMI z score and child's athletic coordination were significantly associated with sedentary behavior (R(2) = 0.069).
Conclusion:
Several factors were identified as correlates of objectively measured sedentary behavior in American preschool children. However, there were no common correlates that influenced sedentary behavior for both boys and girls. Future interventions for reducing sedentary behavior could target correlates identified in this study.
