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Associations between Daily Step Counts and Physical Fitness in Preschool Children
Chunyi Fang1, Jinming Zhang2, Tang Zhou1
1School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China.
Insights
Daily step counts are positively linked to better physical fitness in preschoolers. Achieving 8000 steps daily showed the strongest association with high fitness levels, particularly in boys.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Exercise Science
- Childhood Physical Activity
- Youth Fitness Assessment
Background:
- Understanding the relationship between physical activity and fitness in early childhood is crucial for establishing lifelong healthy habits.
- Preschoolers' physical activity levels are often characterized by daily step counts, which can be objectively measured.
- Physical fitness in young children encompasses cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and speed/agility components.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the associations between daily step counts and various components of physical fitness in preschool-aged children.
- To determine if higher daily step accumulation correlates with improved physical fitness outcomes in this age group.
Main Methods:
- Daily step counts were objectively measured for seven consecutive days using ActiGraph accelerometers in 301 preschoolers.
- Physical fitness was comprehensively assessed using the 20 m shuttle run (cardiorespiratory fitness), handgrip and standing long jump (musculoskeletal fitness), and 2 × 10 m shuttle run (speed/agility) tests.
- A composite physical fitness score was derived from standardized values of all performed fitness tests.
Main Results:
- Children in the highest tertile of daily step counts demonstrated significantly higher physical fitness compared to those in the lowest tertile (Boys OR=5.39, Girls OR=4.42).
- Each 1000 steps/day increment was associated with increased odds of achieving high physical fitness (Boys 43%, Girls 62%).
- A non-linear relationship was observed in boys, with approximately 8000 steps/day associated with the highest likelihood of optimal physical fitness.
Conclusions:
- Positive associations exist between daily step counts and physical fitness in preschool children.
- The strongest relationship was observed for boys accumulating around 8000 steps per day.
- Further large-scale longitudinal research is recommended to confirm these findings and explore causal links.
Purpose:
To investigate the relationships between daily step counts and physical fitness in preschool children.
Methods:
Preschoolers' step counts were assessed by ActiGraph accelerometers consecutively for seven days. Physical fitness was assessed by a 20 m shuttle run test (cardiorespiratory fitness), the handgrip and standing long jump tests (musculoskeletal fitness), and the 2 × 10 m shuttle run test (speed/agility). A composite score was created from the mean of the standardized values of all physical fitness tests.
Results:
A total of 301 preschoolers (134 girls, mean age 57.40 ± 5.47 months; 167 boys, mean age 58.10 ± 5.34 months) were included in the final analysis. Compared with the lowest tertile, boys and girls in the highest tertile of step counts achieved high physical fitness with odds ratio (OR) being 5.39 (95% CI = 1.65-17.59) and 4.42 (95% CI = 1.30-14.99), respectively, after adjusting for confounders. Meanwhile, a relationship was observed for each 1000 steps/day increment being associated with 43% (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.10-1.85) and 62% (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.20-2.19) increment for high physical fitness in boys and girls, respectively. In addition, significant non-linear relationship was observed between daily steps and physical fitness in boys, which indicated that accumulated 8000 steps/day was associated with the highest ratio to achieve high physical fitness.
Conclusions:
Positive relationships between step counts and physical fitness were observed in preschool children, and the relationships were strongest for those who accumulated 8000 steps/day in boys. To confirm the findings in this study, well-designed and large-scale longitudinal studies are needed in the future.
