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Objectively measured physical activity level and sedentary behavior in Norwegian children during a week in preschool
Eivind Andersen1, Janne Borch-Jenssen2, Steinar Øvreås1
1Faculty of Humanities, Sports and Educational Science, University College of Southeast, Norway.
Insights
This study describes physical activity (PA) patterns in preschool children, highlighting that the least active 25% rarely meet recommended daily moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) levels. Understanding these patterns can inform targeted interventions for inactive children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Physical Activity Research
- Early Childhood Education
Background:
- Limited understanding of physical activity (PA) patterns in preschool settings.
- Lack of detailed data on the PA levels of the least active preschool-aged children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the PA pattern in Norwegian preschool children (3-4 years old) during their daily preschool stay.
- To characterize the PA level and pattern specifically for the least physically active children within this cohort.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study using baseline data from 111 children in a Norwegian municipality.
- Objective PA measurement using Actigraph accelerometers worn for five consecutive days during preschool.
- Analysis of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time.
Main Results:
- Daily MVPA ranged from 16 to 116 minutes; sedentary time ranged from 2.7 to 6.5 hours.
- The least active 25% of children exhibited lower activity throughout the day.
- Few children in the least active group achieved recommended MVPA levels on weekdays.
Conclusions:
- Preschool children's PA levels vary significantly, with a substantial group failing to meet recommendations.
- The identified PA patterns of the least active children provide crucial insights for developing targeted interventions.
- Further research and interventions are needed to promote physical activity in this vulnerable group.
Abstract:
Although many studies have reported on physical activity (PA) levels using accelerometers, a thorough description of the PA pattern in preschool children during their stay in the preschool, is lacking in the current literature. Furthermore, there remains a lack of understanding of the PA level and pattern in children in the lower end of the PA continuum. The first aim of this study was therefore to describe the PA pattern during a week-long stay in a preschool in all children born in 2011 (either three or four-year-olds) attending public preschools in a municipality in Norway. The second aim was to describe the PA level and pattern of the children who are the least physically active. This cross-sectional study included baseline data from 95% of children (N = 111) participating in a randomized controlled physical activity intervention (Active Kindergarten - Active Children study). The participants wore an Actigraph accelerometer, in week 39 in 2015, from when they arrived at the preschool on Monday morning and throughout their stay of five consecutive days. The amount of moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) per day ranged from 16 min to 116 min, and sedentary time ranged from 2.7 h to 6.5 h per day in the least and most sedentary child, respectively. The least physically active 25% of children were less active throughout the entire day, and only a few of them managed to achieve the recommended level of MVPA on any weekday. The physical activity levels and patterns among the least active children described in this study may help to inform interventions targeting this group.
