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Are Preschool-Aged Children Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines? A Systematic Review Covering 43,000 Participants
Markel Rico-González1, Adrián Moreno-Villanueva2, Iago Portela-Pino3
1Department of Didactics of Musical, Plastic and Corporal Expression, University of the Basque Country, EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain.
Insights
Promoting physical activity (PA) in preschoolers is crucial for healthy lifestyles. This review found PA compliance ranges from 30-65%, varying with assessment methods, highlighting the need for standardized guidelines.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Exercise Science
Background:
- Sedentary lifestyles are a growing global public health concern.
- Promoting physical activity (PA) in early childhood is vital for establishing healthy habits.
- Preschoolers' PA levels are critical for long-term well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and analyze preschooler compliance with physical activity guidelines.
- To identify factors influencing adherence to PA recommendations in young children.
- To assess the current state of research on PA levels in the preschool population.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of articles from four major databases (PubMed, ProQuest, SCOPUS, FECYT) was conducted.
- Search conducted until May 14, 2025.
- Methodological quality assessed using an adapted MINORS criteria.
Main Results:
- 23 studies were included from an initial 623.
- Physical activity compliance in preschoolers typically ranges between 30% and 65%.
- Compliance rates were higher when PA was assessed using single-behavior guidelines compared to 24-hour movement frameworks.
Conclusions:
- Establishing adherence to PA guidelines in children is challenging due to varied methodologies.
- Standardized criteria (age, questionnaires, PA calculation) are needed for objective comparisons.
- This review underscores the importance of early childhood PA promotion for lifelong health.
Abstract:
Background: Since sedentary habits have become a growing global public health concern, the promotion of physical activity (PA) from early childhood could help children live healthy lifestyles. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the level of compliance with PA in preschoolers in relation to the reference guidelines. Method: A systematic review of relevant articles was carried out using four databases (PubMed, ProQuest, SCOPUS, and FECYT (Web of Sciences, CCC, CIDW, KJD, MEDLINE, RSCI, and SCIELO)) until 14 May 2025. The methodological assessment process was performed by using an adapted version of the MINORS assessment criteria. Results: A total of 623 studies were initially found and 23 were included in the qualitative synthesis. Conclusions: The results revealed that the average in most contexts usually ranges between 30% and 65% of the child population. Due to different operational criteria, compliance was generally higher when PA was assessed separately using single-behavior guidelines as opposed to when integrated 24 h movement frameworks were used. However, these results should be considered with caution because establishing the level of adherence to PA guidelines is difficult due to the different outcomes and guidelines used to compare the level of children's PA. In future research, it is important to establish common baseline criteria (specifying more specific ages, common questionnaires, and criteria for calculating PA quantity and intensity) to facilitate more objective and reliable comparisons between studies. This systematic review is important because it highlights the need for healthy educational habits from the first years of a person's life.
