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The Preschool Activity, Technology, Health, Adiposity, Behaviour and Cognition (PATH-ABC) cohort study: rationale and
Dylan P Cliff1,2, Jade McNeill3,4, Stewart Vella5
1Early Start Research Institute, School of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia. dylanc@uow.edu.au.
Insights
Physical activity and screen time impact preschooler development. The PATH-ABC study investigates how these behaviors influence cognitive, psychosocial, and health outcomes in young children.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Preschoolers (3-5 years) show low physical activity and high screen time.
- Limited research exists on early childhood physical activity and technology's impact on development.
- Ubiquitous screen-based entertainment adoption outpaces research on its effects on cognition, well-being, and health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate associations between physical activity, screen-based entertainment, and child development.
- To determine the influence of specific behaviors on cognitive and psychosocial development.
- To understand impacts on health outcomes in preschool-aged children.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study of 430 children aged 3-5 years.
- Direct assessments of physical activity (accelerometry), cognition, language, psychosocial development, adiposity, and cardiovascular health.
- Parent and educator reports on media use, behavior, and self-regulation.
Main Results:
- Data collection ongoing; results pending.
- Analysis will correlate behavioral data with developmental and health outcomes.
- Focus on identifying influential types and amounts of physical activity and screen time.
Conclusions:
- Study aims to provide evidence on physical activity and screen time's role in child development.
- Findings will inform parents, educators, and policymakers on promoting healthy behaviors.
- Evidence will support strategies for optimal early childhood development and well-being.
Background:
Prevalence estimates internationally suggest that many preschool-aged children (3-5 years) are insufficiently physically active and engage in high levels of screen-based entertainment. Early childhood is the developmental period for which we know the least about the effects of physical activity on development and health. Likewise, rapid technological advancements in mobile electronic media have made screen-based forms of entertainment for young children ubiquitous, and research demonstrating the impacts on cognition, psychosocial well-being, and health has lagged behind the rate of adoption of these technologies. The purpose of the Preschool Activity, Technology, Health, Adiposity, Behaviour and Cognition (PATH-ABC) study is to investigate if physical activity and screen-based entertainment are independently associated with cognitive and psychosocial development, and health outcomes in young children, and if so, how much and which types of these behaviours might be most influential.
Methods:
The PATH-ABC study is a prospective cohort, aiming to recruit 430 3-5 year-old children. Children are recruited through and complete initial assessments at their Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) centre, and then 12-months later at their centre or school. Direct assessments are made of children's habitual physical activity using accelerometry, cognitive (executive function) and language development (expressive vocabulary), psychosocial development (emotional understanding, Theory of Mind, empathy, and heart rate variability), adiposity (body mass index and waist circumference), and cardiovascular health (blood pressure and retinal micro- vasculature). Educators report on children's psychological strengths and difficulties and self-regulation. Parents report on children's habitual use of electronic media and other child, parent and household characteristics.
Discussion:
The PATH-ABC study aims to provide evidence to enhance understanding of how much and which types of physical activity and screen-based media influence development and health in preschool-aged children. This information would benefit parents, educators, health professionals and governments seeking to develop strategies and policies to give young children the best start in life by promoting healthy levels of physical activity and electronic media use.