Physical activity among Norwegian preschoolers varies by sex, age, and season

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 29, 2026

Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children
10:57

Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children

Published on: August 22, 2012

24.4K

Ada Kristine Ofrim Nilsen1,2, Sigmund Alfred Anderssen1,2, Einar Ylvisaaker1

  • 1Department of Sport, Food and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Education, Arts and Sports, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogndal, Norway.

Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
|February 12, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Preschool boys are more active than girls, with physical activity (PA) increasing with age and varying by season. These factors interact, highlighting the complexity of children's PA levels.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Public Health Promotion
  • Child Development

Background:

  • Understanding physical activity (PA) in preschoolers is crucial for public health.
  • Previous research has not fully explored PA variations by sex, age, and season in this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate physical activity levels in a large sample of Norwegian preschoolers.
  • To explore how PA varies and develops based on sex, age, and season.

Main Methods:

  • 1154 Norwegian preschoolers (mean age 4.7 years, 52% boys) wore accelerometers for 14 days.
  • 330 children had repeated PA measurements across seasons.
  • Linear mixed models analyzed PA (total, light, moderate, vigorous, moderate-to-vigorous, sedentary) by sex, age, and season.

Main Results:

  • Boys exhibited higher PA levels (72 min/day MVPA) than girls (59 min/day MVPA).
  • PA increased with age and was higher in spring/summer than autumn/winter (P < 0.001).
  • Boys showed a greater age-related PA increase than girls, influenced by seasonal MVPA.

Conclusions:

  • Boys are consistently more active and less sedentary than girls.
  • Preschoolers' PA increases with age, with seasonal variations favoring spring/summer.
  • Interactions between sex, age, and season significantly influence preschoolers' physical activity.
Abstract

Keywords:
age trendchildrenhealth behaviorobjective monitoringseasonal variation

More Related Videos

Glycemic Impact on Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms on Physical, Radiographic, and Inflammatory Markers among Individuals Aged 50 and Over with Diabetes07:22

Glycemic Impact on Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms on Physical, Radiographic, and Inflammatory Markers among Individuals Aged 50 and Over with Diabetes

Published on: March 7, 2025

996
Assessment of Physical Activity Intensity with Accelerometers and Oxygen Consumption08:45

Assessment of Physical Activity Intensity with Accelerometers and Oxygen Consumption

Published on: June 20, 2025

587

Related Concept Videos

Seasoning of Wood01:15

Seasoning of Wood

Seasoning of wood is a crucial process aimed at reducing and stabilizing the moisture content within the wood to prevent future shrinkage, structural damage, or aesthetic issues once the wood is used in construction. Wood naturally swells when it absorbs moisture and contracts as it dries.
Achieving equilibrium moisture content is the goal of seasoning; this is the point where the wood's moisture content stabilizes to align with the moisture levels of the surrounding environment. Proper...
502
Biological Clocks and Seasonal Responses02:45

Biological Clocks and Seasonal Responses

The circadian—or biological—clock is an intrinsic, timekeeping, molecular mechanism that allows plants to coordinate physiological activities over 24-hour cycles called circadian rhythms. Photoperiodism is a collective term for the biological responses of plants to variations in the relative lengths of dark and light periods. The period of light-exposure is called the photoperiod.
41.7K
Sex-linked Disorders01:43

Sex-linked Disorders

Like autosomes, sex chromosomes contain a variety of genes necessary for normal body function. When a mutation in one of these genes results in biological deficits, the disorder is considered sex-linked.
108.6K
Gradually Varying Flow01:29

Gradually Varying Flow

Gradually varying flow (GVF) in open channels describes situations where water depth changes slowly along the channel due to factors like non-uniform bed slope, channel shape variations, or obstructions. This flow type occurs when the depth adjusts gradually to balance gravitational forces, shear forces, and energy requirements, resulting in a low rate of depth change.Characteristics of Gradually Varying FlowGVF is commonly observed in natural streams, rivers, and canals, where flow depth...
431
Rapidly Varying Flow01:24

Rapidly Varying Flow

Rapidly varying flow (RVF) in open channels is characterized by abrupt changes in flow depth over a short distance, with the rate of depth change relative to distance often approaching unity. These flows are inherently complex due to their transient and multi-dimensional nature, making exact analysis difficult. However, approximate solutions using simplified models provide valuable insights into their behavior.Key Features of Rapidly Varying FlowRVF is commonly observed in scenarios involving...
490
Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter02:57

Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter

The characteristics that enable us to distinguish one substance from another are called properties.
166.2K