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Published on: February 25, 2016
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Development and Testing of the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity in Children-Toddlers
Cailyn A Van Camp1, Anela Panlasigue1, Kimberly A Clevenger2
1Department of Kinesiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
Childhood Obesity (Print)
|February 20, 2025
Summary
A new tool, the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity in Children-Toddlers (OSRAC-T), reliably assesses toddler physical activity (PA) and environment. This system aids in understanding PA behaviors for better childcare and health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Kinesiology
- Child Development
Background:
- Existing direct observation (DO) tools for preschoolers are insufficient for assessing toddler physical activity (PA).
- A specific DO system for evaluating PA levels and the childcare environment of toddlers was lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity in Children-Toddlers (OSRAC-T).
- To assess the inter- and intra-rater reliability of the OSRAC-T for toddler PA assessment.
Main Methods:
- The OSRAC-T was developed based on existing research, expert consultation, and informal observations, extending a preschooler PA tool.
- Toddlers (12-36 months) were video recorded in childcare settings.
- Intra-rater reliability was assessed by comparing in-person to video observations by one coder; interrater reliability was determined by two coders analyzing shared video segments.
Main Results:
- The OSRAC-T includes nine categories covering PA level/type, social/environmental contexts, and transition support.
- Moderate to high interval-by-interval agreement (58.90%-95.30%) was found across categories.
- Interrater reliability ranged from low to moderate (k = 0.28-0.69).
Conclusions:
- The OSRAC-T is a reliable tool for assessing toddler PA-related behaviors.
- This system can inform early childcare center design, intervention studies, and research on PA and health outcomes in toddlers.
