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Prevalence and Correlates of Adherence to the Global Total Physical Activity Guideline Based on Step Counting Among
Tawonga W Mwase-Vuma1,2, Xanne Janssen1, Kar Hau Chong3
1Department of Psychological Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland.
Insights
Only 30.9% of 3- to 4-year-olds met the daily total physical activity (TPA) guideline. Girls and 4-year-olds were less likely to meet TPA recommendations, highlighting disparities in early childhood physical activity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric physical activity research
- Global public health initiatives
- Early childhood development studies
Background:
- Limited global data exists on total physical activity (TPA) prevalence in 3- to 4-year-olds.
- Understanding TPA correlates is crucial for public health interventions in early childhood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of meeting the 180-minute daily TPA guideline among 3- to 4-year-olds.
- To identify sociodemographic correlates associated with meeting TPA guidelines in this age group.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 797 children (ages 3-4) from 17 countries (SUNRISE study).
- Objective physical activity measurement using thigh-worn activPAL accelerometers for at least 24 hours.
- TPA guideline defined as ≥11,500 steps/day; logistic regression analyzed sociodemographic correlates.
Main Results:
- Mean daily steps: 10,295 (SD=4084).
- 30.9% of children met the TPA guideline (95% CI: 27.6-34.2).
- Lower TPA prevalence in girls (aOR=0.70) and 4-year-olds (aOR=0.50); higher in rural residents (aOR=1.78) and lower-middle-income countries (aOR=1.35).
Conclusions:
- A minority of young children globally meet TPA guidelines, with significant sociodemographic variations.
- Findings underscore the need for enhanced global surveillance of TPA in young children.
- Interventions targeting specific sociodemographic groups may be necessary to improve childhood health and development.
Background:
There is limited evidence from globally diverse samples on the prevalence and correlates of meeting the global guideline of 180 minutes per day of total physical activity (TPA) among 3- to 4-year-olds.
Methods:
Cross-sectional study involving 797 (49.2% girls) 3- to 4-year-olds from 17 middle- and high-income countries who participated in the pilot phases 1 and 2 of the SUNRISE International Study of Movement Behaviours in the Early Years. Daily step count was measured using thigh-worn activPAL accelerometers. Children wore the accelerometers for at least one 24-hour period. Children were categorized as meeting the TPA guideline based on achieving ≥11,500 steps per day. Descriptive analyses were conducted to describe the proportion of meeting the TPA guideline for the overall sample and each of the sociodemographic variables, and 95% CIs were calculated. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the sociodemographic correlates of meeting the TPA guideline.
Results:
Mean daily step count was 10,295 steps per day (SD = 4084). Approximately one-third of the sample (30.9%, 95% CI, 27.6-34.2) met the TPA guideline. The proportion meeting the guideline was significantly lower among girls (adjusted OR [aOR] = 0.70, 95% CI, 0.51-0.96) and 4-year-olds (aOR = 0.50, 95% CI, 0.34-0.75) and higher among rural residents (aOR = 1.78, 95% CI, 1.27-2.49) and those from lower middle-income countries (aOR = 1.35, 95% CI, 0.89-2.04).
Conclusions:
The findings suggest that a minority of children might meet the TPA guideline globally, and the risk of not meeting the guideline differed by sociodemographic indicators. These findings suggest the need for more surveillance of TPA in young children globally and, possibly, interventions to improve childhood health and development.
