Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 6, 2026
Physical Activity Measurement in Children Accepting Table Tennis Training
Published on: July 27, 2022
Systematic review of sedentary behavior and cognitive development in early childhood
Valerie Carson1, Nicholas Kuzik1, Stephen Hunter1
1Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Insights
Sedentary behavior impacts early childhood cognitive development, with screen time often showing negative effects. Reading, however, demonstrated more beneficial associations in this review of 37 studies.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Cognitive Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Early childhood is a critical period for cognitive development.
- Sedentary behaviors, including screen time, are prevalent in young children.
- Understanding the impact of different sedentary activities is crucial for child well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review observational and experimental studies on sedentary behavior and cognitive development in children aged 0-5 years.
- To synthesize findings on the associations between various sedentary behaviors and cognitive outcomes.
- To identify gaps in current research and suggest future directions.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive search of electronic databases was conducted without time limits.
- Included studies were peer-reviewed and focused on healthy children aged 0-5 years.
- Data extraction, quality assessment, and risk of bias evaluation were performed systematically.
Main Results:
- 37 studies with 14,487 participants were included.
- Increased screen time (TV) was negatively associated with cognitive development in 38% of cases.
- Reading showed beneficial associations with cognitive development in 60% of reported associations.
Conclusions:
- The type of sedentary behavior, such as screen time versus reading, differentially affects cognitive development.
- Future research should utilize robust tools and large sample sizes to examine multiple cognitive domains.
- Further investigation is needed to clarify the complex relationship between sedentary behaviors and cognitive outcomes in early childhood.
Objective:
To comprehensively review observational and experimental studies examining the relationship between sedentary behavior and cognitive development during early childhood (birth to 5years).
Method:
Electronic databases were searched in July, 2014 and no limits were imposed on the search. Included studies had to be peer-reviewed, published, and meet the a priori determined population (apparently healthy children aged birth to 5years), intervention (duration, types, and patterns of sedentary behavior), comparator (various durations, types, or patterns of sedentary behavior), and outcome (cognitive development) study criteria. Data extraction occurred in October and November 2014 and study quality and risk of bias were assessed in December 2014.
Results:
A total of 37 studies, representing 14,487 participants from nine different countries were included. Thirty-one studies used observational study designs and six studies used experimental study designs. Across study designs, increased or higher screen time (most commonly assessed as television viewing (TV)), reading, child-specific TV content, and adult-specific TV content had detrimental (negative) associations with cognitive development outcomes for 38%, 0%, 8%, and 25% of associations reported, respectively, and beneficial (positive) associations with cognitive development outcomes for 6%, 60%, 13%, and 3% of associations reported, respectively. Ten studies were moderate quality and 27 studies were weak quality.
Conclusions:
The type of sedentary behavior, such as TV versus reading, may have different impacts on cognitive development in early childhood. Future research with reliable and valid tools and adequate sample sizes that examine multiple cognitive domains (e.g., language, spatial cognition, executive function, memory) are needed. Registration no. CRD42014010004.
