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Clustering Patterns of 24-Hour Physical Activity in Children 6-36 Months Old
Peter Olejua1, Alexander C McLain1, Nabila Inak2
1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC,USA.
Insights
This study identified three 24-hour physical activity (PA) patterns in young children: medium, high, and late activity. These patterns are linked to household factors and change over time, highlighting the dynamic nature of early childhood PA.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Physical Activity Research
Background:
- Understanding 24-hour physical activity (PA) patterns in early childhood is crucial for development.
- Previous research has not fully elucidated distinct PA clusters in infants and toddlers.
- Identifying factors associated with these patterns can inform early interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify distinct 24-hour physical activity (PA) clusters in children aged 6-36 months.
- To investigate factors associated with these PA clusters.
- To assess the agreement and stability of these clusters over time.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study followed 150 infants up to 36 months, collecting 24-hour PA and demographic data.
- Functional clustering analysis was employed to define PA clusters.
- Statistical tests (Kruskal-Wallis, chi-squared, kappa coefficient) examined associations and agreement.
Main Results:
- Three optimal PA clusters were identified: late activity, high activity, and medium activity.
- Cluster membership was associated with race, crawling, household composition, and maternal education at various time points.
- Moderate agreement was observed between 6 and 12 months, with no agreement at 36 months.
Conclusions:
- Twenty-four-hour physical activity (PA) in young children can be categorized into medium, high, and late activity patterns.
- These PA clusters are influenced by household and childcare environments and exhibit dynamic changes.
- Further research is warranted to explore the implications of late sleeping patterns in this age group.
Purpose:
To determine 24-hour physical activity (PA) clusters in children 6-36 months of age, factors associated with the clusters, and their agreement across time.
Method:
A longitudinal study followed 150 infants from South Carolina up to 36 months of age. Measures included 24-hour PA and demographic data. Functional clustering was used to obtain the clusters. The association between cluster membership and infant/parent characteristics was examined by Kruskal-Wallis and chi-squared tests. Concordance was measured with the kappa coefficient and percent agreement.
Results:
At each follow-up, 3 clusters were optimal, identified as late activity (cluster 1), high activity (cluster 2), and medium activity (cluster 3). The defining feature of the late activity cluster was that their physical activity (PA) activity was shifted to later in the day versus children in clusters 2 and 3. At 6 months, the clusters were associated with race (<0.001), crawling (0.043), other children in the household (0.043), and mother's education (0.004); at 12 months with race (0.029), childcare (<0.001), and education (<0.001); and at 36 months with other children in the household (0.019). Clusters showed moderate agreement (kappa = .41 [.25 to .57], agreement = 61% [49% to 72%]) between 6 and 12 months and, at 36 months, showed no agreement with either 6 or 12 months.
Conclusion:
Twenty-four-hour PA can be clustered into medium, high, and late PA. Further research is needed into the consequences of late sleeping in children at this age. Clusters are associated with household and childcare factors, and cluster membership is dynamic across time.
