Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 1, 2026
Physical Activity Measurement in Children Accepting Table Tennis Training
Published on: July 27, 2022
Objectively measured physical activity in one-year-old children from a Brazilian cohort: levels, patterns and
Luiza Isnardi Cardoso Ricardo1, Inácio Crochemore M da Silva2,3, Otávio Amaral de Andrade Leão2
1Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Marechal Deodoro, 1160 - 3rd Floor - Centro, Pelotas, RS, Brazil. luizaicricardo@gmail.com.
Insights
This study measured physical activity (PA) in one-year-olds using accelerometers. Boys and children with more active mothers showed higher PA levels, highlighting early life influences on infant activity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Child Development
Background:
- Understanding physical activity (PA) in infants is crucial for long-term health.
- Objective measurement of PA in one-year-olds is limited.
- Correlates of early childhood PA require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To objectively measure physical activity (PA) in one-year-old children.
- To identify factors associated with PA levels in this age group.
- To provide insights into early life determinants of physical activity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort.
- Assessed PA using wrist-worn accelerometers (ActiGraph, wGT3X-BT) over a 24-hour period for 4 days.
- Analyzed data from two complete days with 5-second epochs for 2974 infants.
Main Results:
- Infants spent 19-21 hours daily below 50 mg acceleration, including sleep.
- Boys exhibited higher activity levels than girls, particularly at higher intensities.
- Higher maternal PA during pregnancy was associated with increased infant acceleration, irrespective of walking ability.
Conclusions:
- Objectively measured PA is higher in boys and infants whose mothers were more physically active during pregnancy.
- Among independent walkers, maternal education (1-8 years), adequate length-for-age, no daycare, and higher paternal PA correlate with increased acceleration.
- These findings underscore the importance of parental activity and socioeconomic factors in shaping early childhood physical activity.
Background:
The aim of this study is to describe objectively measured physical activity (PA) and its correlates in one-year-old children.
Methods:
The current study includes participants from the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort. At age one, PA was assessed in a 24-h protocol during 4 days with a wrist-attached accelerometer (ActiGraph, wGT3X-BT), from which two complete days of data were analyzed, with 5-s epochs.
Results:
A total of 2974 individuals provided valid accelerometry data. Infants able to walk independently spent on average 19 h per day below 50 mg of acceleration (including sleep time), and those who could not walk spent on average 21 h in this intensity category. Girls spent approximately 10 min more than boys below 50 mg daily in both walking status categories, and less activity than boys on higher intensity categories. Boys and infants whose mothers were more physically active during pregnancy presented more acceleration, regardless of walking status. Among infants who could walk by themselves, those with mothers with one to eight schooling years; adequate length-for-age (z-score); not attending daycare; and more physically active fathers also showed higher levels of acceleration.
Conclusions:
Our findings demonstrate higher levels of PA among boys and those children with higher maternal PA during pregnancy, regardless of walking status. Also, among infants able to independently walk, 1-8 years of maternal schooling, adequate length-for-age (z-score), no daycare attendance and higher paternal PA are positive correlates of objectively measured PA early in life.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Socioemotional Development during Infancy
Primary Temperament Types
01:20Lifestyle Factors and Health
Benefits of Physical Activity
Physical activity, whether through structured exercise or casual activities like walking, biking, or dancing, is a cornerstone of a...