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Sedentary time, physical activity and compliance with IOM recommendations in young children at childcare
Yvonne G Ellis1, Dylan P Cliff1, Xanne Janssen2
1Early Start Research Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Australia.
Insights
Young children in childcare spend nearly half their time sitting. Girls and preschoolers are less active and less likely to meet physical activity guidelines, highlighting them as key targets for future health interventions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Behavioral Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Sedentary behavior and physical activity (PA) patterns in early childhood are critical for long-term health.
- Understanding compliance with Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations for sedentary behavior (SB) and PA is essential for targeted interventions.
- Sociodemographic variations in activity levels among young children require investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report sitting, standing, and physical activity (PA) patterns in children aged 1-5 years attending childcare.
- To assess compliance with IOM recommendations for sedentary behavior (SB) and PA.
- To examine sociodemographic variations in these behaviors.
Main Methods:
- An activPAL inclinometer was used to assess sitting, standing, and PA time over 1-5 days in 301 children (aged 1-5 years) across 11 childcare services.
- Breaks and bouts of sitting and standing were calculated and categorized.
- Sociodemographic data, including sex, age category, weight status, and socioeconomic status (SES), were collected.
Main Results:
- Children spent 48.4% of their time in childcare sitting, 32.5% standing, and 19.1% in PA.
- Boys and toddlers (<3 years) engaged in significantly more PA than girls and preschoolers (≥3 years), respectively.
- Underweight children sat more than their overweight peers. Only 16% of children met PA recommendations, with girls and preschoolers being less likely to meet them.
Conclusions:
- Young children in childcare spend approximately 50% of their time sedentary.
- Girls and preschoolers exhibit higher sitting times and lower adherence to PA recommendations.
- Targeted interventions focusing on girls and preschoolers are crucial for improving physical activity levels and meeting health guidelines.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to report patterns of sitting, standing and physical activity (PA) and compliance with Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations for sedentary behavior (SB) and PA among children aged 1 to 5 years at childcare, and examine sociodemographic variations. Sitting, standing and PA time was assessed using an activPAL inclinometer over a period of 1 to 5 days in 301 children (49% boys; mean age = 3.7 ± 1.0 years) across 11 childcare services in Illawarra, NSW, Australia. Breaks and bouts of sitting and standing were calculated and categorized. Height and weight were assessed and parents completed a demographic survey. Differences by sex, age category (< 3 vs ≥ 3 years), weight status and SES were examined. Children spent 48.4% of their time at childcare sitting, 32.5% standing, and 19.1% in PA. Boys spent significantly more time in PA compared to girls (20.8% vs 17.7%; P = 0.003). Toddlers (< 3 years) spent significantly more time in PA compared to preschoolers (≥ 3 years) (22.2% vs 18.3%; P < 0.001). Children who were underweight spent significantly more time sitting compared with their overweight peers (52.4% vs 46.8%; P = 0.003). 56% and 16% of children met the IOM SB and PA recommendations, respectively. Girls (odds ratio [OR]; 95%CI = 0.26; 0.13 to 0.55) and preschoolers (0.16; 0.07 to 0.38) were less likely to meet the IOM PA recommendation compared to boys and toddlers. Young children spent ~ 50% of their time at childcare sitting. Girls and preschoolers sit more and are less likely to meet PA recommendations, making them important groups to target in future interventions.
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