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Factors Related to Physical Activity in Early Childhood: A Systematic Review
Insights
Environmental and sociocultural factors significantly impact children's physical activity levels. Family involvement and access to outdoor play spaces are key influences on early childhood activity performance.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Physical activity in early childhood is crucial for development.
- Understanding influencing factors is key to promoting healthy lifestyles.
- Existing research shows varied impacts of different factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the relationship between biologico-demographical, sociocultural, and environmental factors and physical activity in early childhood.
- To identify key determinants of physical activity performance in young children.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search across multiple databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, LILACS, Google Scholar, etc.) up to June 2018.
- Inclusion criteria focused on population age and article theme.
- No meta-analyses were performed due to study heterogeneity.
Main Results:
- Moderate to vigorous physical activity levels ranged from 3% to 47%.
- Environmental and sociocultural factors demonstrated a greater influence on physical activity than biologico-demographical factors.
- Environmental factors were identified as the most significant influence.
Conclusions:
- Environmental factors (e.g., play in open spaces) and sociocultural factors (e.g., family role, maternal activity) are associated with moderate to vigorous physical activity.
- Current evidence does not strongly support a significant influence of biologico-demographic factors on physical activity in early childhood.
Objective:
To evaluate the relationship between biologico-demographical, sociocultural, and environmental factors and the performance of physical activity in early childhood.
Methodology:
A systematic search was carried out of the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and LILACS, as well as Google Scholar, Open Grey, ClinicalTrials.gov, DARE, PROSPERO, Health Technology Assessment, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, from their first records to June 2018. The selection criteria were previously defined with respect to population age and article theme. No meta-analyses were carried out due to the heterogeneity of the studies.
Results:
The percentage of moderate to vigorous physical activity runs between 3% and 47%. Environmental and sociocultural factors were identified as exerting a greater influence on children's physical activity in early childhood, with the environmental factors being, according to almost all the study authors, the greater of the two.
Conclusions:
According to the studies included in this research project, the factors identified as associated with moderate to vigorous physical activity are environmental (play in open spaces) and sociocultural (the role of the family and the physical activity of the mother). The evidence is not strong enough to conclude that biologico-demographic factors are significantly influential in the physical activity at this age.
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