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A Comparison of Preschoolers' Physical Activity Indoors versus Outdoors at Child Care
Pooja S Tandon1,2, Brian E Saelens3,4, Chuan Zhou5,6
1Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98145, USA. pooja@uw.edu.
Insights
Preschoolers are twice as active and less sedentary outdoors than indoors at child care. Increasing outdoor time is a key strategy to boost physical activity and meet moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) recommendations for young children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Environmental Health
- Physical Activity Research
Background:
- Childhood sedentary behavior is a growing public health concern.
- Understanding environmental influences on physical activity in early childhood is crucial for developing effective interventions.
- Child care settings represent a significant portion of a preschooler's day and offer opportunities for structured physical activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify and compare indoor versus outdoor sedentary time and physical activity intensity in preschoolers attending child care.
- To examine the relationship between time spent outdoors and physical activity levels, including moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).
Main Methods:
- An observational study involving 46 preschoolers (mean age 4.5 years) from five child care centers.
- Children wore accelerometers and GPS devices for five days during child care hours to measure activity and location (indoor/outdoor).
- Activity intensity was categorized using accelerometer data, and location was determined using GPS signal-to-noise ratios.
Main Results:
- Children spent an average of 24% of child care time outdoors (74 minutes daily).
- Mean accelerometer activity counts were more than double outdoors compared to indoors.
- Children were significantly less sedentary (51% vs. 75%) and engaged in more light and MVPA when outdoors compared to indoors (p < 0.001).
- Every 10-minute increase in daily outdoor time was associated with a 2.9-minute increase in MVPA.
Conclusions:
- Preschoolers are substantially more active and less sedentary when outdoors compared to indoors in child care settings.
- Increasing outdoor time in child care is a viable strategy to help preschoolers meet MVPA recommendations and gain associated health benefits.
- Further research is needed to optimize the structure of outdoor time for maximum physical activity benefits.
Abstract:
The aims of this study were to quantify and examine differences in preschoolers' indoor and outdoor sedentary time and physical activity intensity at child care using GPS devices and accelerometers. We conducted an observational study of 46 children (mean age 4.5 years, 30 boys, 16 girls) from five child care centers who wore accelerometers and GPS devices around their waists for five days during regular child care hours. GPS signal-to-noise ratios were used to determine indoor vs. outdoor location. Accelerometer data were categorized by activity intensity. Children spent, on average, 24% of child care time outdoors (range 12⁻37% by site), averaging 74 min daily outdoors (range 30⁻119 min), with 54% of children spending ≥60 min/day outdoors. Mean accelerometer activity counts were more than twice as high outdoors compared to indoors (345 (95) vs. 159 (38), (p < 0.001)), for girls and boys. Children were significantly less sedentary (51% of time vs. 75%) and engaging in more light (18% vs. 13%) and moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) (31% vs. 12%) activity when outdoors compared to indoors (p < 0.001). To achieve a minute of MVPA, a preschooler needed to spend 9.1 min indoors vs. 3.8 min outdoors. Every additional 10 min outdoors each day was associated with a 2.9 min increase in MVPA (2.7 min for girls, 3.0 min for boys). Preschool-age children are twice as active and less sedentary when outdoors compared to indoors in child care settings. To help preschoolers achieve MVPA recommendations and likely attain other benefits, one strategy is to increase the amount of time they spend outdoors and further study how best to structure it.