Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026
Breakfast Habits among Schoolchildren in the City of Uruguaiana, Brazil
Published on: July 29, 2020
Associations Between 24-h Movement Behaviours Guidelines and Physical Fitness in Uruguayan Preschoolers
Enrique Pintos-Toledo1,2,3, Sofia Fernandez-Gimenez1,2,3, Franco Souza-Marabotto2,3
1Instituto Superior de Educación Física, Universidad de la República, Rivera, Uruguay.
Insights
Screen time is linked to lower muscular fitness in preschoolers. Reducing screen time is crucial for early childhood health, with tailored interventions needed for boys.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Child Development
- Exercise Science
Background:
- Twenty-four-hour movement behaviors, including physical activity (PA), sleep, and screen time (ST), are vital for child health.
- Limited evidence exists on these behaviors' impact on physical fitness in Latin American preschoolers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the associations between 24-hour movement behaviors (PA, sleep, ST) and physical fitness in Uruguayan preschoolers.
- To explore potential sex-specific differences in these associations.
Main Methods:
- 135 preschoolers (3-4 years) from Rivera, Uruguay, participated.
- Physical activity and sleep were measured using accelerometry; screen time was parent-reported.
- Physical fitness (strength, power, balance, cardiorespiratory fitness) was assessed using SUNRISE and PREFIT batteries.
Main Results:
- Higher screen time was associated with lower handgrip strength and standing long jump performance in the overall sample.
- Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity showed a positive association with standing long jump in boys only.
- No significant associations were found in girls, and sleep duration showed no significant links to fitness in either sex.
Conclusions:
- Screen time consistently correlated with reduced muscular fitness in preschoolers.
- Observed sex-specific patterns highlight the need for targeted interventions.
- Universal recommendations should prioritize reducing screen time exposure in early childhood.
Background:
Twenty-four-hour movement behaviours-physical activity (PA), sleep and screen time (ST)-are key determinants of child health, yet evidence in Latin American preschoolers remains limited. This study examined associations between these behaviours and physical fitness in Uruguayan preschool children.
Methods:
Children (n = 135, 3-4 years) from Rivera, Uruguay, were recruited. PA and sleep were assessed via accelerometry (ActiGraph GT3X-BT); ST was parent-reported. Fitness was evaluated using SUNRISE and PREFIT batteries (strength, power, balance and cardiorespiratory fitness). Regression models adjusted for age and sex were applied.
Results:
In the full sample, ST was negatively associated with handgrip strength (βstd = -0.154, p = 0.019) and standing long jump (βstd = -0.168, p = 0.013). PA and sleep showed no significant associations with fitness. Sex-stratified analyses revealed different patterns: In boys, moderate-to-vigorous PA was positively associated with standing long jump (βstd = 0.194, p = 0.038), and ST was negatively associated with handgrip strength (βstd = -0.190, p = 0.034). No significant associations were observed in girls (p > 0.05).
Conclusion:
ST was most consistently associated with poorer muscular fitness in preschoolers. Sex-specific patterns suggest the need for tailored interventions, while universally prioritising the reduction of screen time exposure during early childhood.
