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Prevalence and correlates of 24-hour movement behaviors among Thai preschoolers
Panitchaya Limsiri1, Dyah Anantalia Widyastari2, Aubdul Aunampai1
1Thailand Physical Activity Knowledge Development Centre (TPAK), Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand.
Insights
Most Thai preschoolers lack adequate physical activity, sleep, and adhere to sedentary behavior limits. Public health strategies are crucial to improve children
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Developmental Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Early childhood is crucial for development, yet over 30% of Thai children under five have developmental delays.
- Movement behaviors—physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep—are key determinants of optimal early childhood development.
- Understanding these behaviors in Thai preschoolers is vital for addressing developmental delays.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess 24-hour movement behaviors in Thai preschoolers.
- To determine the proportion of children meeting World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
- To explore demographic factors influencing these movement behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the Sunrise Thailand Dataset 2023 (n=518, ages 3-4 years).
- Measurement of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep using ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers.
- Statistical analysis including descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVAs, and multiple linear regression.
Main Results:
- Only 26.3% met physical activity guidelines, 49.8% met sleep guidelines, and 68.5% met sedentary behavior limits.
- A mere 7.5% of children met all three WHO movement behavior recommendations.
- Socioeconomic factors significantly predicted movement behaviors; single-parent families showed the lowest adherence.
Conclusions:
- The majority of Thai preschoolers do not meet WHO movement behavior guidelines, particularly for physical activity.
- Urgent public health interventions are needed to improve movement behaviors, especially in vulnerable groups.
- Targeted policies should enhance safe play, promote active lifestyles, and support caregivers.
Background:
Early childhood is a critical period for children's growth and development. Given that over 30% of Thai children under age five experience developmental delays, it is important to examine their movement behavior: physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep. These three components are important factors for optimal development. This study assessed 24-h movement behaviors of Thai preschoolers, determined the proportion meeting WHO guidelines, and explored how demographic factors differentiate these behaviors.
Methods:
Data from the Sunrise Thailand Dataset 2023, comprising 518 children aged 3-4 years (50.5% boys and 49.5% girls), were analyzed. Physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep were measured using ActiGraph GT3X + accelerometers. Children's adherence to WHO guidelines was evaluated using descriptive statistics. Independent-samples t-tests and one-way ANOVAs examined differences across demographic subgroups. Multiple linear regression models identified predictors of movement behaviors.
Results:
Only 26.3% of Thai preschoolers met recommended physical activity levels, 49.8% adhered to sleep duration guidelines, and 68.5% followed sedentary behavior limits. Just 7.5% met all three recommendations simultaneously. Regression analyses revealed socioeconomic factors as the strongest predictors: children from low-income households and those with parents in agriculture or government sectors showed significantly reduced sleep duration and increased sedentary time. Single-parent families demonstrated the lowest overall adherence.
Conclusions:
The majority of Thai preschoolers failed to meet WHO guidelines, with particularly low compliance in physical activity. These results emphasize the need for developing public health strategies to improve movement behavior, especially in vulnerable populations such as single-parent families and rural communities. Policies should focus on increasing access to safe play environments, promoting active lifestyles, and providing targeted support to caregivers to help children meet these critical health recommendations.
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