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Physical development and sociocultural context influences on children's physical activity

Alessandro Hervaldo Nicolai Ré1, Maria Teresa Cattuzzo2, David Stodden3

  • 1Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Revista Paulista De Pediatria : Orgao Oficial Da Sociedade De Pediatria De Sao Paulo
|January 22, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and active leisure predict physical activity (PA) in preschoolers. Sociocultural factors, like maternal education, also influence PA, especially for boys, highlighting the need for gender-equitable health policies.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Exercise Science
  • Sociology of Sport

Background:

  • Physical activity (PA) is crucial for child development, yet meeting guidelines varies significantly by gender and socioeconomic factors.
  • Understanding the interplay of fitness, motor skills, and sociocultural influences on PA in early childhood is essential for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), motor competence (MC), maternal education, and parental perception of leisure activities as predictors of meeting PA guidelines in 3-6-year-old children.
  • To examine gender-specific associations between these factors and adherence to PA recommendations.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study involving 367 preschoolers (53% girls).
  • Objective measures included CRF (20m shuttle run) and PA (accelerometry).
  • Subjective data from questionnaires assessed MC, maternal education, and parental perception of leisure activities; statistical analyses included ANCOVA, logistic regression, and chi-square tests.

Main Results:

  • CRF independently predicted meeting PA guidelines for both genders.
  • For girls, active leisure (with/without balls) significantly increased odds of meeting PA guidelines, irrespective of maternal education.
  • For boys, lower maternal education was linked to higher participation in ball activities, which strongly predicted meeting PA guidelines.

Conclusions:

  • Family and sociocultural factors, alongside fitness, play a significant role in children's PA levels, with gender-specific patterns observed.
  • Health policies should promote gender-inclusive participation in culturally relevant activities within family settings to enhance PA.
  • Interventions should consider socioeconomic status and leisure preferences to effectively promote physical activity in early childhood.
Abstract

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