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Patterns of objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in preschool children
Mareesa O'Dwyer1, Stuart J Fairclough, Nicola Diane Ridgers
1Dept of Sports and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Insights
Preschool children
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Physical Activity Research
- Early Childhood Education
Background:
- Understanding physical activity (PA) patterns in preschool children is crucial for developing effective interventions.
- Variability in daily PA levels can indicate optimal times for behavioral changes.
- Objective measurement of PA provides reliable data on children's activity levels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the variability of objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in preschool children.
- To identify specific times during weekdays and weekend days when PA levels fluctuate.
- To inform targeted interventions for improving preschool children's PA behaviors.
Main Methods:
- One hundred eighty-eight preschool children (3-5 years) participated.
- Children wore uni-axial accelerometers for seven consecutive days.
- Data analyzed for patterns of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).
Main Results:
- Boys exhibited higher MVPA levels compared to girls.
- Children attending full-day preschool engaged in less MVPA than half-day attendees.
- Activity levels decreased during after-school hours and showed less variability on weekends.
Conclusions:
- After-school hours and weekends are periods of lower PA in preschoolers.
- Structured preschool environments may be associated with reduced overall activity.
- Interventions should consider both school and home settings to promote PA.
Background:
Identifying periods of the day which are susceptible to varying levels of physical activity (PA) may help identify key times to intervene and potentially change preschool children's PA behaviors. This study assessed variability of objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during weekdays and weekend days among preschool children.
Methods:
One hundred and eighty-eight children (aged 3 to 5 years; 53.2% boys) from a northwest English city wore uni-axial accelerometers for 7 consecutive days.
Results:
Higher levels of MVPA were recorded in boys, particularly those who attended preschool for a half day. Children who attended preschool for a full day engaged in 11.1 minutes less MVPA than children who attended for a half day. After-school hours were characterized by a decrease in activity for all groups. Patterns of activity during the weekend were smoother with less variability.
Conclusion:
This study identified discrete segments of the week, specifically afterschool and during the weekend, when preschoolers engage in low levels of PA. Higher levels of MVPA among children who attended preschool for less time each day suggests that the structured preschool environment is related to decreased activity. Consequently, there is a need for interventions in young children to focus on school and home environments.
