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The impact of a teacher-led structured physical activity session on preschoolers' sedentary and physical activity levels
Abstract
Objectives:
The purpose of this observational study was to examine differences in preschoolers' sedentary time and physical activity (PA) participation between preschool-attending weekdays with and without a teacher-led structured PA session.
Design:
A sample of 200 preschoolers (5.3±0.4y; 113 boys) from 26 preschools in Flanders, Belgium were included in data analysis.
Methods:
Participants wore a GT1M ActiGraph accelerometer on one preschool-attending weekday with and on one preschool-attending weekday without the provision of a teacher-led structured PA session. Preschoolers' sedentary time, light PA, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during the time in preschool (08:00-16:00h) and after preschool (16:00-20:00h) were estimated. To assess differences in the outcome measures between both days, multi-level linear regression models were conducted.
Results:
During the time at preschool, lower sedentary levels (β=13.0min; SE=1.6; p<0.001) and higher light PA (β=2.9min; SE=0.7 p<0.001) and MVPA levels (β=10.1min; SE=1.1; p<0.001) were prevalent on days with a structured PA session compared to days without a structured PA session in both boys and girls. After preschool, no differences were found between both days in sedentary time (β=0.7; SE=1.4; p>0.05), light PA (β=0.3; SE=0.5; p>0.05), and MVPA (β=0.3; SE=0.9; p>0.05).
Conclusions:
The results demonstrate that no compensatory changes were found after preschool for the structured PA session during the preschool hours. Therefore, a teacher-led structured PA session integrated in the preschool curriculum is a promising mean to decrease sedentary time and to increase PA in preschool-aged boys and girls.
... Studies were published between 2005 and 2017, comprising 13,430 participants aged 1-5.99, from 41 different samples. The majority of the studies (n=34) Berglind et al., 2016;Burgi et al., 2010;Butte et al., 2016;Byun et al., 2013a;Caldwell et al., 2016;Cardon & De Bourdeaudhuij, 2008;Carson et al., 2016b;Cliff et al., 2009;Collings et al., 2017;Downing et al., 2017;Duraccio & Jensen, 2017;Espana-Romero et al., 2013;Fisher et al., 2005b;French et al., 2017;Johansson et al., 2015b;Kelly et al., 2006;Leppänen et al., 2016;Matarma et al., 2016;Mickle et al., 2011;Mota et al., 2016;Ruiz et al., 2011;Ruiz et al., 2013;Santos et al., 2017;Schmutz et al., 2017;Vale et al., 2010;Van Cauwenberghe et al., 2013;Wijtzes et al., 2013) assessed ST using Actigraph, while six studies used Actical Grzywacz et al., 2014;Tandon et al., 2016;Vanderloo & Tucker, 2015;Williams et al., 2014), and four used Actiheart (Collings et al., 2013;Hesketh et al., 2014;Hesketh et al., 2015;Hnatiuk et al., 2016). One study used two different devices (Actigraph and Actitrainer). ...
... Tandon et al., 2016;Vale et al., 2010;Van Cauwenberghe et al., 2013;Vanderloo & Tucker, 2015;Williams et al., 2014) randomly selected the sample. Twenty-three (51%) studiesBurgi et al., 2010;Butte et al., 2016;Carson et al., 2016b;Carson et al., 2017b;Collings et al., 2013;Dolinsky et al., 2011;Downing et al., 2017;Herrmann et al., 2015;Hesketh et al., 2015;Hnatiuk et al., 2016;Johansson et al., 2015b;Leppänen et al., 2016;Matarma et al., 2016;Ruiz et al., 2013;Santos et al., 2017;Schmutz et al., 2017;Tandon et al., 2016;Vanderloo & Tucker, 2015) used valid ST cut-points. ...
... Twenty-three (51%) studiesBurgi et al., 2010;Butte et al., 2016;Carson et al., 2016b;Carson et al., 2017b;Collings et al., 2013;Dolinsky et al., 2011;Downing et al., 2017;Herrmann et al., 2015;Hesketh et al., 2015;Hnatiuk et al., 2016;Johansson et al., 2015b;Leppänen et al., 2016;Matarma et al., 2016;Ruiz et al., 2013;Santos et al., 2017;Schmutz et al., 2017;Tandon et al., 2016;Vanderloo & Tucker, 2015) used valid ST cut-points. Finally, twenty-eight (62%) studiesBerglind et al., 2016;Burgi et al., 2010;Butte et al., 2016;Caldwell et al., 2016;Cardon & De Bourdeaudhuij, 2008;Carson et al., 2016b;Carson et al., 2017b;Collings et al., 2017;Dolinsky et al., 2011;Downing et al., 2017;Duraccio & Jensen, 2017;Fisher et al., 2005a;Fisher et al., 2005b;Hesketh et al., 2014;Kelly et al., 2006;Leppänen et al., 2016;Matarma et al., 2016;Ruiz et al., 2011;Ruiz et al., 2013;Schmutz et al., 2017;Tandon et al., 2016;Van Cauwenberghe et al., 2013;Wijtzes et al., 2013;Williams et al., 2014) reported an acceptable percentage of missing data (supplemental online materialfile 5). ...
Objective
This systematic review aimed to summarize correlates of sleep duration in children under 5 years of age.
Methods
Six electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, and Scopus) were searched from inception to May 2019. Observational studies and intervention studies reporting cross-sectional results from baseline data were considered. Data were extracted using a predesigned form and potential correlates were categorized following a sociological framework.
Results
One-hundred and sixteen studies, representing 329,166 children, met the inclusion criteria, with a high risk of bias in 62 included studies. A total of 83 correlates of sleep duration were identified. Among the associations studied four or more times, correlates of nap duration were child’s age and nighttime sleep onset/bedtime; correlates of nighttime sleep duration were household income, parent marital status, parental adiposity level, nighttime sleep duration at younger age, nighttime sleep onset/bedtime, nighttime sleep wakeup time, and frequency of current bedtime routine; correlate of total sleep duration was screen time.
Conclusions
Young children from low-income households, single families, or having overweight parents may be at risk for short sleep duration. Promoting healthy sleep duration from an early age appears essential. Effective practices may include encouraging an earlier bedtime, limiting screen time, and establishing a regular bedtime routine. The absence of consistent evidence in the psychological, cognitive, and emotional domain as well as the physical environmental domain warrants further research.
... Οι παιδικού σταθμοί (ΠΣ) παρέχουν εξαιρετικές δυνατότητες για παρεμβάσεις, που στοχεύουν στη βελτίωση της ΦΔ των παιδιών αφού εκεί δαπανούν περισσότερο από το 50% του μέσου όρου της ημερήσιας ενεργητικότητας τους (Larson, Ward, Neelon, & Story, 2011;True et al., 2017;Van Cauwenberghe, De Craemer, De Decker, De Bourdeaudhuij, & Cardon, 2013). Ωστόσο αρκετές μελέτες έχουν καταλήξει στο συμπέρασμα ότι τα παιδιά παρουσιάζουν καθιστική συμπεριφορά κατά τη διάρκεια παραμονής τους στους ΠΣ (Boldermann et al., 2006;Dowda et al., 2009;Raustorp et al., 2012). ...
... Ωστόσο η έρευνα στο πεδίο αυτό είναι περιορισμένη. Προγράμματα παρέμβασης που εφαρμόστηκαν σε ΠΣ βρέθηκε να έχουν θετική επίδραση στην αύξηση της ΦΔ των παιδιών (Αlhassan, Nwaokelemeh, Lyden, Goldsby, & Mendoza, 2013;Annesi, Smith, & Tennant, 2013;Jones, Okely, Hinkley, Batterham, & Burke, 2016;Pate et al., 2016;Roth et al., 2015;Van Cauwenberghe et al., 2013;Ward, Vaughn, McWilliams, & Hales, 2010) κάποιες φορές όμως φαίνεται ότι δεν επηρέασαν καθόλου τη ΦΔ (Bellows, Davies, Anderson, & Kennedy, 2013;Cardon, Labarque, Smits, & De Bourdeaudhuij, 2009;Finch et al., 2014;Puder et al., 2011). ...
... Φαίνεται ότι, όταν ενσωματώνονται επιλεγμένες φυσικές Ερευνώντας τον κόσμο του Παιδιού, Τεύχος 16, 2018-2019 14 δραστηριότητες στο ημερήσιο πρόγραμμα των ΠΣ, τα οφέλη είναι σημαντικά. Αρκετές έρευνες κατέληξαν σε παρόμοια αποτελέσματα με μικρές-μέτριες βελτιώσεις στη ΦΔ προς όφελος της ΠΟ (Annesi et al., 2013;Jones et al., 2011;Jones et al., 2016;Roth et al., 2015;Van Cauwenberghe et al., 2013). Ωστόσο, άλλες βρίσκονται σε διαφωνία με τα αποτελέσματα της παρούσας έρευνας (Bellows et al., 2013;Finch et al., 2014;Puder et al., 2011). ...
The aim of this study is the inspection of the impact of the "Walk" Project in the augmentation of the pitching (ambulatory) physical activity in preschool day centers of the municipality of Kavala. The sample was consisted of 143 children aged 5 (61.51±1.85 months old). An intervention programme of a 45'-50' duration was applied four times per week for one year. The physical activity was measured with the OMRON HJ-720IT-E2 pedometer for five consecutive days (Monday to Friday) in three time periods. Six measurements were performed during the months of October, February and May, two per month, of which the first before and the second after the implementation of the programme. The results showed that the children of Experimental Group performed statistically many more steps compared to those of Control Group during the weeks of the implementation of the programme. This study which proves the effectiveness of the "Walk" Project concerning the pitching (ambulatory) physical activity of children was accomplished by the collaboration of educators and Physical Education teachers.
... Studies were published between 2005 and 2017, comprising 13,430 participants aged 1-5.99, from 41 different samples. The majority of the studies (n=34) Berglind et al., 2016;Burgi et al., 2010;Butte et al., 2016;Byun et al., 2013a;Caldwell et al., 2016;Cardon & De Bourdeaudhuij, 2008;Carson et al., 2016b;Cliff et al., 2009;Collings et al., 2017;Downing et al., 2017;Duraccio & Jensen, 2017;Espana-Romero et al., 2013;Fisher et al., 2005b;French et al., 2017;Johansson et al., 2015b;Kelly et al., 2006;Leppänen et al., 2016;Matarma et al., 2016;Mickle et al., 2011;Mota et al., 2016;Ruiz et al., 2011;Ruiz et al., 2013;Santos et al., 2017;Schmutz et al., 2017;Vale et al., 2010;Van Cauwenberghe et al., 2013;Wijtzes et al., 2013) assessed ST using Actigraph, while six studies used Actical Grzywacz et al., 2014;Tandon et al., 2016;Vanderloo & Tucker, 2015;Williams et al., 2014), and four used Actiheart (Collings et al., 2013;Hesketh et al., 2014;Hesketh et al., 2015;Hnatiuk et al., 2016). One study used two different devices (Actigraph and Actitrainer). ...
... Tandon et al., 2016;Vale et al., 2010;Van Cauwenberghe et al., 2013;Vanderloo & Tucker, 2015;Williams et al., 2014) randomly selected the sample. Twenty-three (51%) studiesBurgi et al., 2010;Butte et al., 2016;Carson et al., 2016b;Carson et al., 2017b;Collings et al., 2013;Dolinsky et al., 2011;Downing et al., 2017;Herrmann et al., 2015;Hesketh et al., 2015;Hnatiuk et al., 2016;Johansson et al., 2015b;Leppänen et al., 2016;Matarma et al., 2016;Ruiz et al., 2013;Santos et al., 2017;Schmutz et al., 2017;Tandon et al., 2016;Vanderloo & Tucker, 2015) used valid ST cut-points. ...
... Twenty-three (51%) studiesBurgi et al., 2010;Butte et al., 2016;Carson et al., 2016b;Carson et al., 2017b;Collings et al., 2013;Dolinsky et al., 2011;Downing et al., 2017;Herrmann et al., 2015;Hesketh et al., 2015;Hnatiuk et al., 2016;Johansson et al., 2015b;Leppänen et al., 2016;Matarma et al., 2016;Ruiz et al., 2013;Santos et al., 2017;Schmutz et al., 2017;Tandon et al., 2016;Vanderloo & Tucker, 2015) used valid ST cut-points. Finally, twenty-eight (62%) studiesBerglind et al., 2016;Burgi et al., 2010;Butte et al., 2016;Caldwell et al., 2016;Cardon & De Bourdeaudhuij, 2008;Carson et al., 2016b;Carson et al., 2017b;Collings et al., 2017;Dolinsky et al., 2011;Downing et al., 2017;Duraccio & Jensen, 2017;Fisher et al., 2005a;Fisher et al., 2005b;Hesketh et al., 2014;Kelly et al., 2006;Leppänen et al., 2016;Matarma et al., 2016;Ruiz et al., 2011;Ruiz et al., 2013;Schmutz et al., 2017;Tandon et al., 2016;Van Cauwenberghe et al., 2013;Wijtzes et al., 2013;Williams et al., 2014) reported an acceptable percentage of missing data (supplemental online materialfile 5). ...
Background
Young children appear to spend large portions of their waking time being sedentary. Understanding the correlates of sedentary time would assist in developing effective interventions among young children. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarise the current literature on the correlates of objectively measured sedentary time in young children aged 1-5.99y.
Methods
This review was registered with PROSPERO (registration no. CRD42017081374) and aligned with the PRISMA Statement for systematic reviews. Five electronic databases (MEDline, CINAHL Complete, PsycINFO, SportDiscus, Scopus) were searched up to October 26, 2017 for studies investigating correlates of sedentary time measured using objective devices. A semiquantitative approach was used to synthesize data.
Results
Forty-five studies were retrieved comprising 13,430 participants, and 84 correlates of sedentary time in young children were evaluated. The associations between sex, sleep habits, daily patterns (childcare vs. non-childcare hours), childcare type and sedentary time were indeterminate. Thirty-nine correlates were consistently unrelated. Forty-one potential correlates were examined in too few studies (<4) to make confident conclusions. Parental sedentary behaviour was reported 3 times and maternal sedentary behaviour was reported once. Out of these four studies, three were positively associated with child sedentary time.
Conclusions
Despite reviewing 45 studies that evaluated associations for 84 correlates, this review was unable to identify any consistent correlates of sedentary time in young children. Additional research is needed in this area to provide robust evidence of the correlates of sedentary time in young children, particularly for those examined in only a small number of studies.
... Several studies have focused on increasing preschoolers' PA levels. As preschool children spend a considerable amount of time at some form of out-of-home care, these settings provide an opportunity to increase preschoolers' PA, resulting in preschool-based interventions [13]. Some studies investigated the effect of targeting preschoolers' PA levels during recess, but mixed results were found [14][15][16]. ...
... Other preschool-based interventions targeted the preschool curriculum to increase preschoolers' PA levels [17]. For example, teacher-led structured PA sessions, integrated in the preschool curriculum, are promising to increase PA in four-to six-year-old Belgian preschoolers [13]. A study in three-to five-year-old US preschoolers consisted of a curriculum of 18 weeks with 15-to 20minute-lessonscomprising of multiple activities focusing on stability (trunk strength), locomotor skills (running, hopping, skipping), or manipulation skills (ball skills)four days a week (72 lessons in total). ...
... For example, preschoolers already receive structured PA sessions during the time they spend at kindergarten [46]. In Flemish kindergartens, these sessions are scheduled in the curriculum for two hours per week to realize one of the developmental goals of the kindergarten curriculum prescribed by the Flemish government, namely physical education of the preschool child [13,47]. In the ToyBox-intervention, preschool teachers had to implement the PA-module for at least one hour per week, which is shorter compared to the physical education sessions preschoolers already receive. ...
... Several studies have focused on increasing preschoolers' PA levels. As preschool children spend a considerable amount of time at some form of out-of-home care, these settings provide an opportunity to increase preschoolers' PA, resulting in preschool-based interventions [13]. Some studies investigated the effect of targeting preschoolers' PA levels during recess, but mixed results were found [14][15][16]. ...
... Other preschool-based interventions targeted the preschool curriculum to increase preschoolers' PA levels [17]. For example, teacher-led structured PA sessions, integrated in the preschool curriculum, are promising to increase PA in four-to six-year-old Belgian preschoolers [13]. A study in three-to five-year-old US preschoolers consisted of a curriculum of 18 weeks with 15-to 20minute-lessonscomprising of multiple activities focusing on stability (trunk strength), locomotor skills (running, hopping, skipping), or manipulation skills (ball skills)four days a week (72 lessons in total). ...
... For example, preschoolers already receive structured PA sessions during the time they spend at kindergarten [46]. In Flemish kindergartens, these sessions are scheduled in the curriculum for two hours per week to realize one of the developmental goals of the kindergarten curriculum prescribed by the Flemish government, namely physical education of the preschool child [13,47]. In the ToyBox-intervention, preschool teachers had to implement the PA-module for at least one hour per week, which is shorter compared to the physical education sessions preschoolers already receive. ...
The ToyBox-study developed an evidence- and theory-based intervention to improve preschoolers' energy balance-related behaviours - including physical activity (PA) - by targeting the kindergarten environment and involving their parents/caregivers. The present study aimed to examine the effect of the ToyBox-intervention on increasing Belgian preschoolers' objectively measured PA levels.
A sample of 472 preschoolers (4.43 +/- 0.55 years; 55.1% boys) from 27 kindergartens (15 intervention, 12 control kindergartens) in Flanders, Belgium were included in the data analyses. Preschoolers wore an ActiGraph accelerometer for six consecutive days and were included in the data analyses if they had a minimum of two weekdays and one weekend day, both at baseline and follow-up (one year later). Preschoolers' PA outcomes were estimated for an average day, weekday, weekend day, during school hours, and during after school hours. To assess intervention effects, multilevel repeated measures analyses were conducted for the total sample, and for sub-groups (according to sex, kindergarten levels of socio-economic status (SES) and risk groups (low levels of PA at baseline)) of preschoolers.
Small intervention effects were found in the total sample. Most intervention effects were found in boys and in preschoolers from high SES kindergartens. Boys from the intervention group had an increase in vigorous PA (Ss = 1.47, p = 0.03) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (Ss = 1.27, p = 0.03) from baseline to follow-up, whereas PA levels in boys from the control group stagnated or decreased. In preschoolers from high SES kindergartens, the largest effects were found for PA outcomes during school hours and during after school hours.
The results from the Belgian sample demonstrate that effects of the PA-component of the ToyBox-intervention on objectively measured PA were found in preschool boys and in preschoolers from high SES kindergartens, which means that the ToyBox-intervention was mainly effective in those sub-groups. Future interventions should search for alternative strategies to increase preschoolers' PA levels in preschool girls and preschoolers from low SES kindergartens, as these are the most important at-risk groups regarding PA.
... This includes the teaching of adequate MoPA, which is essential for MVPA levels (Barnett Lai et al., 2016). Adequate teacher led programs have been shown to have the potential to improve motor skills in young children (Adams et al., 2009;Hardy et al., 2010b;Van Cauwenberghe et al., 2013). An adequate education in teaching MoPA is important. ...
... The educators may use free play perfunctorily and take the easiest way with the least energydemanding effort for themselves. Adequate educator-led programs have the potential to improve motor skills in young children (Adams et al., 2009;Hardy et al., 2010b;Van Cauwenberghe et al., 2013), which assumes that the educators are more actively participating in the activities and are not just supervising them. Also the intensity of PA among the children heightens during teacher led FMS practice, especially when involving locomotor skills (Cliff et al., 2009;Kain et al., 2018). ...
Movement and physical activity (MoPA) is critical for children’s development and health. This study aimed to explore early childhood education and care (ECEC) educators’ reported frequency of implemented gross motor and physical activities (MoPA) among children in ECEC, as well as the educators’ reported personal physical activity (PA) levels in leisure time. A cross-sectional survey was performed in 68 preschools in southern Sweden. Data were obtained from questionnaires completed by 359 ECEC educators. The participation rate was 61%. About two thirds offered MoPA once a week or more seldom, while one quarter offered MoPA at least every other day. Educators who reported personal PA three times or more per week, offered MoPA for the children at least every other day to a higher extent (37%) compared to colleagues who reported personal PA once or twice a week (26%) or colleagues who reported that they were never or seldom active (18%) (p = 0.034). The results from multiple logistic regression analysis showed that reported implemented MoPA among children in ECEC was significantly associated with the educators’ perceptions that free play improved children’s gross motor skills (OR 2.7), the educators’ perceptions of needed curricular guidelines for MoPA (OR 2.1), the educators’ own leisure PA level (OR 2.0) and the educators’ perceptions that adequate gross motor skills were not learned at home (OR 0.4). Teacher-led MoPA occurs sparingly during the preschool day and the teachers believe that the children get sufficient MoPA in free play. The children are expected to develop their motor skills to a sufficient extent during the short moments of offered outdoor play. Teachers who are physically active in their leisure-time seem to offer gross motor training for the children to a higher extent than less active or inactive colleagues.
... On average, preschools spend 33% of their time outside in the winter and 67% of their time outside in the summer (Moser and Martinsen 2010). Several studies show that children are more physically active when playing outside (Andersen et al. 2017;Giske, Tjensvoll, and Dyrstad 2010;Herrington and Previous research and theory framework Previous research shows that preschools, wherein the physical activity is well organised and integrated with the daily schedule, increases the total physical activity of the children (Bower et al. 2008;Cauwenberghe et al. 2013;Dønnestad, Kleppe, and Strandmyr 2015;Kain et al. 2017;Vale et al. 2011). Organised and teacher-led physical activity with educational goals ensures that a greater proportion of the children fulfils the recommendations of 60 min physical activity daily (Nicaise, Kahan, and Sallis 2011;Olesen et al. 2013). ...
... The importance of organising physical activity for the entire group of children Our analysis reveals that the staff in the high-activity preschool are more aware of organising physical activity than the staff in the low-activity preschool. This finding corresponds with a number of studies, which show that organised physical activity increases the physical activity level of the children (Bower et al. 2008;Cauwenberghe et al. 2013;Dønnestad, Kleppe, and Strandmyr 2015;Vale et al. 2011). The high-activity preschool staff are more flexible and have opportunities to adapt to the needs of the children (Digre and Haugberg 2016). ...
The Norwegian preschool framework plan (Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training [2017. Framework Plan for Kindergartens. https://www.udir.no/globalassets/filer/barnehage/rammeplan/framework-plan-for-kindergartens2-2017.pdf]) establishes that preschools are to be an arena for daily physical activity. Preschool is an important arena for children's physical activity, as many children spend much time in preschool every day. The present study aims to examine the views of staff members and their collective awareness and practice when promoting physical activity for four-to-six-year-olds in two preschools. The findings and discussion in this article are based on focus group interviews in two preschools where the children in one of these institutions (the high-activity preschool) have a higher physical activity level on average than the children in the other preschool (the low-activity preschool). The data is analysed within a sociocultural theory framework, and the analysis reveals that the deliberate and active use of the preschool's outdoor area and the planning and organisation of the activities, which are based on a shared view on the significance of the physical activity, and active adults, who participate in the children's activity and play, are elements that contribute to the physical activity level in the high-activity preschool.
... As previously noted children with disabilities often depend on adults to provide them with opportunities to participate in physical activities and engage with peers (Jeong et al., 2015;Ku et al., 2020). In reality however, opportunities to participate in teacher-led structured physical activities are very limited (Van Cauwenberghe et al., 2013), and most preschool teachers share a common misconception that preschoolers are highly active (Tucker et al., 2014). They also tend to believe that motor skills are not a necessary part of the curriculum because motor skills will develop naturally as a result of free play and recess (Brian et al., 2017). ...
... On the other hand, research has shown that children are significantly more active, as measured using pedometers, during structured physical activities or when staff join children in active play (Bell et al., 2015). Additionally, researchers observed that on days when physical activities were integrated into the curriculum and delivered by educators, children spent less time being sedentary and more time in MVPA than on days without structured activities (Van Cauwenberghe et al., 2013). Moreover Arundell et al. (2016) found that children spent 15.5 min of a 30-min period engaged in less challenging behaviors than children on the playground with no guidance or instruction. ...
Children with disabilities (CWD) tend to participate in fewer physical activities than typically developing children. During motor play, CWD often depend on teachers to provide direct instruction and frequent opportunities to practice motor skills, to interact with their peers, and learn new skills. To promote participation in physical activities for CWD, it is necessary to understand (a) teachers’ perceptions about the importance of structured motor programs and (b) teachers’ thoughts and concerns about implementing structured motor programs. The aim of this study was to understand teachers’ perceptions about structured motor programs (e.g., obstacle course, bowling) and factors that may influence their motivation to implement them. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 teachers who taught in inclusive preschools. Interview data were transcribed and analyzed to identify key themes. The results show that the majority of participants valued structured motor programs and were aware of the benefits of implementing such programs with preschoolers. Several teachers expressed concerns about meeting the expectations of a motor program and preschoolers’ challenging behaviors during such programs. Implications for practice from this study include the need to (a) provide professional development to help teachers support preschoolers with disabilities in learning motor skills and understanding how to arrange and scaffold opportunities for children to participate in physical activities and gross motor play with their typically developing peers, and (b) create quality structured motor programs to ensure that all children have access to motor learning opportunities in inclusive preschool settings.
... An emerging approach to increase daily physical activity participation in school is the implementation of structured, classroom-based activity breaks (AB; 2, 13,19,36). To date, only a few studies have investigated the integration of physical activity programs into preschool and childcare centers (32,35,36). A typical break consists of 10-15 min of activities designed to promote MVPA. ...
... In addition, students who were more off-task before the AB improved substantially postbreak (19). Longer bouts of activity (e.g., a minimum of 30 min) have been investigated in preschoolers and shown increases in MVPA (35) and attention (22). However, shorter bouts that have demonstrated positive results in older schoolage children (9,17,19,29,37) may be more practical for implementation in classroom settings by teachers. ...
This study examined the acute effects of a 10-minute teacher-implemented classroom based activity break (AB) on physical activity participation and time on-task in a preschool-age population. 118 (M age = 3.80 ± 0.69 years) students from one preschool served as participants. The intervention took place over four days; two days AB were conducted and two days typical instruction occurred. Physical activity was monitored via accelerometry and time on-task was measured by direct observation. Results demonstrated that AB led to a higher percent of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during the AB (M = 29.7%, p < .001). Breaks also promoted more on-task behavior (F1,117 = 18.86, p < .001) following the AB. Specifically, the most off-task students prior to the break improved on-task behavior by 30 percentage points (p < .001). Percent of school day MVPA was also higher during AB days (t117 = 3.274, p = .001). Findings indicate teachers may improve time on-task post-break for preschoolers with a short bout of physical activity in the classroom, especially in children who are the most off-task. Additionally, classroom-based AB resulted in marginal increases in MVPA during breaks that influenced whole day activity.
... This approach is supported by a recent study in Belgium which compared preschooler's activity levels on days with allocated periods of teacher-led structured physical activity (versus days with no structured physical activity sessions). This study identified the effectiveness of teacher-led sessions at increasing activity levels (p < 0.001) while in care [57]. Interestingly, ECE students' formal education in Belgium involves training on how to facilitate structured physical activities for children in their care [57], perhaps accounting for the above finding. ...
... This study identified the effectiveness of teacher-led sessions at increasing activity levels (p < 0.001) while in care [57]. Interestingly, ECE students' formal education in Belgium involves training on how to facilitate structured physical activities for children in their care [57], perhaps accounting for the above finding. ...
Background
Early childhood educators play an important role in influencing preschoolers’ physical activity levels. The current study sought to explore Early Childhood Education (ECE) students’ physical activity-related knowledge and educational experience during their formal training in Ontario.
Methods
A total of 1,113 ECE students from 20 Ontario Colleges completed the study survey (online or on paper), which examined students’ physical activity course content; awareness of physical activity guidelines; understanding of health-related benefits of physical activity; self-efficacy to facilitate physical activity for preschoolers; self-reported physical activity levels; as well as physical activity-related resource needs. Descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests were used to analyze the quantitative findings.
Results
Survey results identified that 72.1% of ECE students had not completed any physical activity/physical education specific courses, while only 28.7% were familiar with, and 2.0% accurately reported, the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines for the Early Years. Only 10.5% of ECE students reported personal physical activity behaviors consistent with national recommendations for adults (150 minutes/week). ECE students’ mean overall task self-efficacy to facilitate physical activity was 7.37 (SD = 1.64). Self-efficacy was significantly higher (p < .05) when students had taken one or more courses devoted to physical activity/physical education, as well as when students engaged in sufficient physical activity to meet the national guidelines for adults (p < .05).
Conclusions
The results indicate that the current ECE college curriculum represents an excellent opportunity to provide future childcare providers with enriched physical activity-related training and support, such as physical activity guidelines, workshops, and new ideas for activities. Emphasizing the health benefits of physical activity for adults might be important in light of ECE students’ low self-reported physical activity levels.
... Elsewhere, higher MVPA levels in adolescent girls also displaced SED time within the same or following day (3). Further, two days with and without a structured PA session resulted in no differences in SED, LPA or MVPA after school (47). However, in all cases both the short time frames compared and the structured nature of PA assessed risks a high influence of scheduling (school or parent), which for children could largely contribute to daily variations in their PA. ...
... Few studies to date have assessed the association between objectively-measured PA intensities and SED. Accelerometer monitoring showed that more SED and less MVPA occurred on a nonsport vs. sport day (49), and two days with and without an in-school structured PA session were no different in after-school SED, LPA or MVPA (47). However, it is possible that children may have exceeded their PA set-point on the sport-day, and thus compensated on the following day, and the "scheduled" nature of the additional MVPA raises the possibility that children's PA remained otherwise unaltered simply due to lack of similar opportunity. ...
This study examines the association between objectively-measured physical activity (PA) intensities and sedentary behavior (SED) in a cohort of 532 children aged 8-10 y. PA and SED were assessed by accelerometer over 7-days. Television and computer/video-game use were self-reported. Associations between PA intensities and SED variables were assessed by Spearman correlations and adjusted multiple linear regression. Higher mean daily moderate-to-vigorous and vigorous PA (MVPA, VPA) were negatively associated with mean daily SED (r = -0.47 and -0.37; p < .001), and positively associated with mean daily total PA (r = .58 and 0.46; p < .001). MVPA was also positively associated with light PA (LPA; r = .26, p < .001). MVPA and VPA were not significantly associated with TV, computer/video or total screen time; accelerometer SED was only weakly associated with specific SED behaviors. On average, for each additional 10 min daily MVPA, children accumulated >14 min less SED, and for each additional 5 min VPA, 11 min less SED. Thus, over the course of a week, higher mean daily MVPA may displace SED time and is associated with higher total PA over and above the additional MVPA, due to concomitant higher levels of LPA. Public health strategies should target both MVPA and SED to improve overall PA and health in children.
... Regular physical activity is important for the health and well-being of educational institution children, as well as up sports, musculoskeletal, and psychosocial development, and reducing the danger of overweight or obesity. it's absolutely regarding obesity, on the contrary, it is related to health, psychological feature and behavioral consequences (Van Cauwenberghe et al., 2013). ...
The aim of this research is to determine the effect of play perception on play and physical activities lessons on sensory and behavioral attitudes in the context of the mediating effect of cognitive attitude. In this regard, a hypothetical model was proposed by examining the relationships between the relevant sub-dimensions in line with the literature review. A total of 310 teacher candidates studying in the classroom school teaching department in the 2020-2021 academic year participated in the research. The study group was chosen randomly based on the voluntariness of the participants. In order to collect the relevant data in the research, two measurement tools were used in the data collection process; Play Perception Scale developed by Güneş et al. (2020) and Attitude Scale towards Play and Physical Activities Lesson" developed by Hazar and Tekkurşun Demir (2017) were applied. As a result of this study there is a significant and positive direct relationship between interest in the play and behavioral towards the lesson. Likewise, there is a linear relationship between the nature of the play and the affective attitude towards the lesson, and this relationship is negative. Looking at the mediation test results; The cognitive attitude towards the lesson, whose mediation is tested in the theoretical model, acts as a meaningful mediator between the function of the play and the behavioral attitude. When the mediating effect of the cognitive attitude between the authenticity of the play and the behavioral and sensory attitudes is examined, it is observed that it is significant. As the specificity of the play increases, the cognitive attitude decreases. It can be recommended to increase the course hours especially in the primary school level, where the developmental level of children is at the highest level, by adding practice hours to the curriculum for these lessons.
... The activity level of 4-6 years old children in preschool time in our study [mean MVPA = 58.4] is somehow in accordance with other studies. Cauwenberghe et al. [46] found that the average time spent on MVPA was 44.2 min. on days with organized activity, and 34.1 min. ...
... Yet, early childhood educators identify parents rather than themselves as persons responsible for promoting children's PA [17], and may assume that young children receive adequate PA throughout the week, regardless of activities during their stay in the ECEC setting [18]. Thus, intervening with children and staff in ECEC settings, to equip them with the knowledge, abilities and motivation to promote PA in children during their time in the ECEC, may provide substantial public health bene ts [19]. ...
Background: A growing body of evidence suggest that the children’s physical activity (PA) level in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings are insufficient. Since most children attend ECEC settings for many hours on most days of the week, and these institutions reach children across the socioeconomic spectrum, the ECEC settings may serve as an ideal avenue for increasing physical activity level, reduce sedentary time and enhance the overall health of young children. This paper investigates the effectiveness of the “Active Kindergarten – Active Children” study to increase children’s PA level and reduce sedentary time within the ECEC setting.
Methods: Accelerometers were used to asses PA and sedentary time. A total of 116 three to four-year olds took part in a randomised controlled trial in 11 ECEC settings. Participants were cluster-randomised, by ECEC setting, to either a 12 week staff-led and expert-supported intervention or a waiting list control group.
Results: The intervention group increased time spent in moderate- and vigorous intensity PA by 10 min/day (95% CI = 3, 18; P=0.01), took 1909 more steps per day (95% CI = 1130, 2688; P˂0.01) and reduced sedentary time with 14min/day (95% CI = -27, -1; P=0.04) compared to the control group. The intervention group had a 2.4 higher odds (95% CI = 1.05, 5.7; P = 0.04) of meeting the PA recommendations compared to the control group at follow-up.
Conclusions: Our results show that a flexible staff-led and expert-supported multicomponent PA intervention can increase total PA level, moderate- and vigorous intensity PA and reduce time spent sedentary in three to four-year old children during their stay in ECEC settings.
Trial registration: The trial was retrospectively registered on September 19, 2020 and available online at ClinicalTrials.gov: No. NCT04555746
... However, early childhood educators identify parents rather than themselves as those responsible for promoting children's PA [17] and may assume that young children receive adequate PA throughout the week regardless of their activities during their stay in the ECEC setting [18]. Thus, intervening with children and staff in ECEC settings to equip them with the knowledge, abilities and motivation to promote PA in children during their ECEC time may provide substantial public health bene ts [19]. ...
Background: A growing body of evidence suggests that children’s physical activity (PA) level in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings is insufficient. Since most children attend ECEC settings for many hours on most days of the week and these institutions reach children across the socioeconomic spectrum, ECEC settings may serve as an ideal avenue for increasing PA level, reducing sedentary time and enhancing the overall health of young children. This paper investigates the effectiveness of the “Active Kindergarten – Active Children” study in increasing children’s PA level and reducing sedentary time within the ECEC setting.
Methods: Accelerometers were used to assess PA and sedentary time. A total of 116 three- to four-year-olds took part in a randomized controlled trial in 11 ECEC settings. The participants were cluster-randomized, by ECEC setting, to either a 12-week staff-led and expert-supported intervention or a waiting-list control group.
Results: The intervention group increased time spent in moderate- and vigorous-intensity PA by 10 min/day (95% CI = 3, 18; P=0.01), took 1909 more steps per day (95% CI = 1130, 2688; P˂0.01) and reduced sedentary time by 14 min/day (95% CI = -27, -1; P=0.04) compared to the control group. The intervention group was 2.4 times more likely (95% CI = 1.05, 5.7; P = 0.04) to meet the PA recommendations than the control group at follow-up.
Conclusions: Our results show that a flexible staff-led and expert-supported multi-component PA intervention can increase the total PA level and moderate- and vigorous-intensity PA and reduce sedentary time in three- to four-year-old children during their stay in ECEC settings.
... Yet, early childhood educators identify parents rather than themselves as persons responsible for promoting children's PA [17], and may assume that young children receive adequate PA throughout the week, regardless of activities during their stay in the ECEC setting [18]. Thus, intervening with children and staff in ECEC settings, to equip them with the knowledge, abilities and motivation to promote PA in children during their time in the ECEC, may provide substantial public health benefits [19]. ...
Background
A growing body of evidence suggest that the children’s physical activity (PA) level in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings are insufficient. Since most children attend ECEC settings for many hours on most days of the week, and these institutions reach children across the socioeconomic spectrum, the ECEC settings may serve as an ideal avenue for increasing physical activity level, reduce sedentary time and enhance the overall health of young children. This paper investigates the effectiveness of the “Active Kindergarten – Active Children” study to increase children’s PA level and reduce sedentary time within the ECEC setting.
Methods
Accelerometers were used to asses PA and sedentary time. A total of 116 three to four-year olds took part in a randomised controlled trial in 11 ECEC settings. Participants were cluster-randomised, by ECEC setting, to either a 12 week staff-led and expert-supported intervention or a waiting list control group.
Results
The intervention group increased time spent in moderate- and vigorous intensity PA by 10 min/day (95% CI = 3, 18; P = 0.01), took 1909 more steps per day (95% CI = 1130, 2688; P < 0.01) and reduced sedentary time with 14 min/day (95% CI = − 27, − 1; P = 0.04) compared to the control group. The intervention group had a 2.4 higher odds (95% CI = 1.05, 5.7; P = 0.04) of meeting the PA recommendations compared to the control group at follow-up.
Conclusions
Our results show that a flexible staff-led and expert-supported multicomponent PA intervention can increase total PA level, moderate- and vigorous intensity PA and reduce time spent sedentary in three to four-year old children during their stay in ECEC settings.
Trial registration
The trial was retrospectively registered on September 19, 2020 and available online at ClinicalTrials.gov: No. NCT04555746.
... Teacher-arranged activities, in which ECEs lead a formal gross motor activity, would be expected to generate high levels of PA; yet, we noted that this educational context was not statistically associated with MVPA. As reported in previous studies, formalized motor instructions-though infrequent in many childcare centers-are associated with energetic play (Brown et al. 2009a;Soini et al. 2014;Van Cauwenberghe et al. 2012) and might facilitate children's PA engagement (Palmer et al. 2017). Investigating the circumstances under which teacher-arranged activities are effective would thus be an interesting avenue to explore. ...
Outdoor time is a positive correlate of physical activity in preschoolers; however, children remain highly sedentary even outdoors. This cross-sectional study thus aimed (1) to measure the physical activity levels of 30 preschool-aged children attending a centre-based childcare centre in a remote region located in Northwestern Québec (Canada) and (2) to identify the factors associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during outdoor time. Two observers monitored the children individually over a period totalling approximately 40 h using a translated version of the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity in Children-Preschool version (OSRAC-P). In addition, parents and early childhood educators each completed a short questionnaire to, respectively, collect child demographics and educators’ personal characteristics and physical activity habits. When children were outdoors, sedentary activities predominated (60.2%), compared with light activities (18.1%) and MVPA (21.7%). A binary logistic regression analysis also showed that MVPA was associated with different social and non-social factors: the group composition, the early childhood educator, the prompting behaviors, the outdoor educational context, the time of day, and the children’s age and sex. Although no clear profile of early childhood educators seemed to be linked to children’s MVPA, some factors under their control appear to contribute to increasing preschoolers’ PA. Prompting children to be active and integrating more high energy expenditure activities in their daily routine stood out as good ways to optimize time spent outdoors.
... The aforementioned review study also calls for more evidence to examine the validity of the hypothesis [20]. In preschool children, the compensatory behavior was not observed in studies comparing days with and without teacher-led structured physical activity [21], comparing between locations (childcare center and home) [22], and when increasing outdoor time [23]. Yet, to the best of our knowledge, no previous study has investigated the association between participation in organized sports and preschool children's activity levels in different segments of the day. ...
Background:
Participation in organized sports is associated with higher physical activity (PA) levels in school-aged-children. Yet, little is known about PA determinants in preschool-aged-children. We examined associations between organized sports participation and preschoolers' daily PA.
Methods:
The study comprised 290 3-5 years old children and PA was measured for 1 week via accelerometers. Organized sports participation was parent-reported and preschool arrival and departure time was teacher-recorded. The preschool duration reported by teachers was matched with time-stamped accelerometer data to distinguish PA during preschool time and PA outside preschool time. Linear mixed models, nested on preschool level, were used to examine associations between organized sports participation and children's PA outside preschool time, during preschool time and throughout the day.
Results:
In total, 146 children (50.3%) participated in organized sports at least 1 h/week. Participation in organized sports was associated with 6.0 more minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) (95% CI: 0.6, 11.3) throughout the day and 5.7 more minutes of MVPA (95% CI: 1.6, 9.7) outside preschool time after adjustment. There was no association between organized sports participation and PA during preschool time.
Conclusions:
This is the first study to show positive associations between organized sports participation and preschoolers' PA levels outside preschool time and throughout the day. In addition, findings from this study do not support PA compensation. Therefore, targeting organized sports may be successful in improving PA, even among preschoolers.
... The aforementioned review study also calls for more evidence to examine the validity of the hypothesis (20). In preschool children, the compensatory behavior was not observed in studies comparing days with and without teacher-led structured physical activity (21), comparing between locations (childcare center and home) (22), and when increasing outdoor time (23). Yet, to the best of our knowledge, no previous study has investigated the association between participation in organized sports and preschool children's activity levels in different segments of the day. ...
Background Participation in organized sports is associated with higher physical activity (PA) levels in school-aged-children. Yet, little is known about PA determinants in preschool-aged-children. We examined associations between organized sports participation and preschoolers’ daily PA.
Methods The study comprised 290 3-5 years old children and PA was measured for 1 week via accelerometers. Organized sports participation was parent-reported and preschool arrival and departure time was teacher-recorded. The preschool duration reported by teachers was matched with time-stamped accelerometer data to distinguish PA during preschool time and PA outside preschool time. Linear mixed models, nested on preschool level, were used to examine associations between organized sports participation and children’s PA outside preschool time, during preschool time and throughout the day.
Results In total, 146 children (50.3%) participated in organized sports at least 1 hour/week. Participation in organized sports was associated with 6.0 more minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) (95% CI: 0.6, 11.3) throughout the day and 5.7 more minutes of MVPA (95% CI: 1.6, 9.7) outside preschool time after adjustment. There was no association between organized sports participation and PA during preschool time.
Conclusions This is the first study to show positive associations between organized sports participation and preschoolers’ PA levels outside preschool time and throughout the day. In addition, findings from this study do not support PA compensation. Therefore, targeting organized sports may be successful in improving PA, even among preschoolers.
... The aforementioned review study also calls for more evidence to examine the validity of the hypothesis (17). In preschool children, the compensatory behavior was not observed in studies comparing days with and without teacher-led structured physical activity (18), comparing between locations (childcare center and home) (19), and when increasing outdoor time (20). Yet, to the best of our knowledge, no previous study has investigated the association between participation in organized sports and preschool children's activity levels in different segments of the day. ...
Background Participation in organized sports is associated with higher physical activity (PA) levels in school-aged-children. Yet, little is known about PA determinants in preschool-aged-children. We examined associations between organized sports participation and preschoolers’ daily PA.
Methods The study comprised 290 3–5 years old children and PA was measured for 1 week via accelerometers. Organized sports participation was parent-reported and preschool time was teacher-recorded. Linear mixed models, nested on preschool level, were used to examine associations between organized sports participation and children’s PA outside preschool time, during preschool time and throughout the day.
Results In total, 146 children (50.3%) participated in organized sports at least 1 hour/week. Participation in organized sports was associated with 6.0 more minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) (95% CI: 0.6, 11.3) throughout the day and 5.7 more minutes of MVPA (95% CI: 1.6, 9.7) outside preschool time after adjustment. There was no association between organized sports participation and PA during preschool time.
Conclusions This is the first study to show positive associations between organized sports participation and preschoolers’ PA levels outside preschool time and throughout the day. In addition, findings from this study do not support PA compensation. Therefore, targeting organized sports may be successful in improving PA, even among preschoolers.
... Yet, early childhood educators identify parents rather than themselves as persons responsible for promoting children's PA [17], and may assume that young children receive adequate PA throughout the week, regardless of activities during their stay in the ECEC setting [18]. Thus, intervening with children and staff in ECEC settings, to equip them with the knowledge, abilities and motivation to promote PA in children during their time in the ECEC, may provide substantial public health benefits [19]. ...
A growing body of evidence suggest that the children’s physical activity (PA) level in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings are insufficient. Since most children attend ECEC settings for many hours on most days of the week, and these institutions reach children across the socioeconomic spectrum, the ECEC settings may serve as an ideal avenue for increasing physical activity (PA) level, reduce sedentary time and enhance the overall health of young children. This paper investigates the effectiveness of the “Active Kindergarten – Active Children” study to increase children’s PA level and reduce sedentary time within the ECEC setting. Accelerometers were used to asses PA and sedentary time. A total of 116 three to four-year olds took part in a randomized controlled trial in 11 ECEC settings. Participants were cluster-randomized, by ECEC setting, to either a 12 week staff-led and expert-supported intervention or a waiting list control group. The intervention group increased time spent in moderate- and vigorous intensity PA by 10 min/day (95% CI = 3, 18; P=0.01), took 1909 more steps per day (95% CI = 1130, 2688; P˂0.01) and reduced sedentary time with 14min/day (95% CI = -27, -1; P=0.04) compared to the control group. The intervention group had a 2.4 higher odds (95% CI = 1.05, 5.7; P = 0.04) of meeting the PA recommendations compared to the control group at follow-up. Our results show that a flexible staff-led and expert-supported multicomponent PA intervention can increase total PA level, moderate- and vigorous intensity PA and reduce time spent sedentary in four-year-old children during their stay in ECEC settings. Key words: ECEC; RCT; children; physical activity; sedentary time
... Yet, early childhood educators identify parents rather than themselves as persons responsible for promoting children's PA [17], and often falsely assume that young children receive adequate PA via their daily routines [18]. Thus, intervening with children and staff in ECEC settings, to equip them with the knowledge, abilities and motivation to promote PA in children during their time in the ECEC, may provide substantial public health benefits [19]. ...
A growing body of evidence suggest that the children’s physical activity (PA) level in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings are insufficient. Since most children attend ECEC settings for many hours on most days of the week, and these institutions reach children across the socioeconomic spectrum, the ECEC settings may serve as an ideal avenue for increasing physical activity (PA) level, reduce sedentary time and enhance the overall health of young children. This paper investigates the effectiveness of the “Active Kindergarten – Active Children” study to increase children’s PA level and reduce sedentary time within the ECEC setting.
Accelerometers were used to asses PA and sedentary time. A total of 116 four-year olds took part in a randomized controlled trial in 11 ECEC settings. Participants were cluster-randomized, by ECEC setting, to either a 12 week staff-led and expert-supported intervention or a waiting list control group. The intervention group increased time spent in moderate- and vigorous intensity PA by 10 min/day (95% CI = 3, 18; P=0.01), took 1909 more steps per day (95% CI = 1130, 2688; P˂0.01) and reduced sedentary time with 14min/day (95% CI = -27, -1; P=0.04) compared to the control group. The intervention group had a 2.4 higher odds (95% CI = 1.05, 5.7; P = 0.04) of meeting the PA recommendations compared to the control group at follow-up.
Our results show that a flexible staff-led and expert-supported multicomponent PA intervention can increase total PA level, moderate- and vigorous intensity PA and reduce time spent sedentary in four-year-old children during their stay in ECEC settings.
... Moreover, available facilities triggering PA, such as playgrounds and parks in the neighborhood, have been found to enhance parental support to their offspring's PA [33,34]. Apart from family, preschool settings can be important contributors to PA [35] and ST [36], since they host young children for a large period of their day. ...
Over the last decade, the lives of children in several countries, including Greece, have been affected by recession. The aim of the present study was (a) to examine time trends in physical activity (PA) and screen time (ST) of Greek preschool children, together with their family affluence (FA), from 2009 until 2018, and to explore the associations among them; and (b) to investigate the connections of parental educational level and children's BMIs to their achieving ST (<1h/day) and PA (11,500 steps/day) guidelines. A total of 652 children from four cross-sectional cohorts participated. PA was recorded with Omron HJ-720IT-E2 pedometers, whereas ST, family affluence (FA) and parental educational level were reported by participants' parents. The results of the one-way ANOVAs that were computed revealed statistically significant differences among cohorts, albeit of no practical importance, in PA, ST and FA. According to the regressions calculated, neither BMI nor the educational level was related to membership in ST and PA guidelines groups. ST was a significant predictor of children's PA in all week periods (school-time, leisure-time, weekend), whereas FA was not such a strong predictor. Multilevel interventions aiming at both ST and PA seem to be imperative for the benefit of young children's health.
... 1 Research has established that CBAB are effective for increasing physical activity in preschool-age children. [32][33][34] However, at this time, there is no literature investigating influential factors that may contribute to participation in physical activity during these short bouts of activity in the classroom. ...
Background:
Activity breaks are an established way physical activity may be incorporated into the preschool day. The purpose of this study was to examine what factors influenced moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during a teacher-implemented classroom-based activity break (CBAB) in a Head Start population.
Methods:
Ten-minute CBAB was conducted over 2 days in a quasi-experimental design; 99 preschoolers (mean age 3.80 [0.65] y; 49.5% male) from a convenience sample participated. Accelerometers measured MVPA, fundamental motor skill competency was assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-second edition, and weight classification status used body mass index percentiles.
Results:
A significant, moderate regression was found (r = .328, P = .001) between fundamental motor skill and MVPA. There was no significant correlation between body mass index percentile and MVPA during the CBAB. In addition, the locomotor subscale was the best predictor for MVPA for children during the CBAB (r = .32, β = 0.82, P < .001).
Conclusions:
CBAB equally elicited MVPA for normal and overweight preschoolers. Fundamental motor skill competency was associated with MVPA during the CBAB; in particular, locomotor skills were the best predictor for physical activity. Structured activity opportunities that focus on locomotor skills may be a useful integration to prompt more MVPA in a preschool-age population.
... The program (managed by Early Childhood Ireland and the Irish Heart Foundation) sees ECCE educators trained by specialists to deliver PA and FMS activities. This approach was chosen to ensure sustainability of the program, with similar approaches shown to be effective in other studies within this population (Adamo et al., 2016;Van Cauwenberghe, De Craemer, De Decker, De Bourdeaudhuij, & Cardon, 2013;Williams, Carter, Kibbe, & Dennison, 2009). ...
The Kids Active program was developed with the aim of increasing physical activity (PA) and fundamental movement skill (FMS) levels of children in preschool services in Ireland through training educators to encourage active play opportunities. In this study, the impact of a six-week pilot program on educator confidence, as well as children’s PA levels and FMS proficiency, is evaluated. Educators’ ( n = 32) confidence to teach PA was measured through questionnaire, while data (anthropometric data, PA via accelerometry, and proficiency in four FMS; run, vertical jump, overhand throw, and catch) were collected from 141 children in five intervention and four control services. Educators in the intervention group achieved significantly higher confidence scores at post-intervention testing in comparison to the control group. No significant differences between control and intervention groups were found for children’s PA across the three-hour period. Children in the intervention group significantly increased scores in the overhand throw. Small positive changes in educator confidence to teach PA and in children’s performance of the skill of overhand throw indicate potential effects of the Kids Active intervention that warrant further investigation of efficacy over longer periods of time.
... Preschool settings seem to form an opportune context for implementing interventions targeting PA and MC, because children spend a large amount of their day in day care and kindergarten. 25,26 However, several research findings have revealed that school time is sedentary time. [27][28][29][30] Among the factors that are associated with PA in preschool settings, children's characteristics seem to be important; boys, older children, and motor competent children are more active than girls, younger children, and less motor competent children, respectively. ...
Background:
This study aimed at evaluating the effect of the "Walk," an 8-month physical activity (PA) program led by classroom and physical education teachers, on the motor competence (MC) and PA of 5- to 6-year-old children.
Methods:
A total of 143 children (mean age = 61.51 [1.85] mo) participated in the study and were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. Children's MC was assessed by the Körperkoordination Test für Kinder (KTK), and PA was objectively measured by Omron HJ-720IT-E2 pedometers. Measurements were performed at baseline, midintervention, and postintervention. A 1-sample t test computed at baseline step counts revealed that children presented significantly lower PA than recommended for their age (P < .001). To examine the effect of the intervention on children's MC and PA, several repeated-measures analyses of variance were utilized on (1) KTK item scores and (2) pedometer data.
Results:
The results revealed that the Walk project led to practically significant changes in the experimental group compared with the control group in both MC (P < .001, η2 > .14 for all KTK items) and PA (P < .001, η2 = .23).
Conclusions:
This study highlights the efficacy of a PA project, involving both classroom and physical education teachers, for the enhancement of children's MC and PA.
... In addition, higher parental SES was associated with higher children's ST in preschools with a low number of PE lessons. Other studies have also found that children have less ST on preschool days when a PE lesson is included in the daily schedule [78] or if the preschools have regular early educator-led structured activity [79]. Our study brings additional knowledge about the SES differences in the role of PE lessons. ...
Preschool children’s high levels of sedentary time (ST) is a public health concern. As preschool reaches a large population of children from different socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds, more knowledge on how the preschool setting is associated with children’s ST is relevant. Our aims were to examine (1) the associations of preschool setting (covering social, physical, and organizational level) with children’s ST, and (2) the moderating role of the setting on the association between parental SES and children’s ST. In the cross-sectional DAGIS (increased health and wellbeing in preschools) study, the participating children (n = 864, aged 3–6 years) were asked to wear an accelerometer for one week. In total, 779 children had valid ST accelerometer data during preschool hours. Preschool setting and parental SES was assessed by questionnaires and observation. Multilevel linear regression models with cross-level interactions were applied to examine the associations. Early educators’ practice of breaking children’s ST often, more frequent physical activity (PA) theme weeks, and higher number of physical education (PE) lessons were associated with lower children’s ST. Higher parental SES was associated with higher children’s ST in preschools (1) with organized sedentary behavior theme weeks, (2) with a lower number of PA theme weeks, and (3) with a lower number of PE lessons. The factors identified in this study could be targeted in future interventions.
... In the current study, the process of implementation occurred through the practice of troop leaders inserting AR as a segment in the troop meeting routine. Inserting time segments into setting routines has been used as an intervention strategy to increase PA in other youth activity settings [33], including schools [34], afterschool programs [25], and preschools [35]. Other strategies to increase activity during setting time include increasing the use of evidence-based practice strategies to improve the quality [36][37][38] and the length [38,39] of segments of time that have the primary purpose of activity [33]. ...
Girl Scouts (GS) is a setting with large reach to target increased moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in girls. The Scouting Nutrition and Activity Program (SNAP) increased MVPA during intervention troop meetings; therefore, further examination of implementation of SNAP components is warranted to determine the processes contributing to intervention success. The purpose of this study is to examine variability in implementation of an active recreation (AR) policy into GS troop meetings. Troop leaders (n = 7) were randomized to receive SNAP, an intervention training on implementing a policy promoting AR, or a standard control. Meetings (seven meetings/troop) were observed, and girls in attendance (n = 76, 9–13 years, mean ± SD = 10.51 ± 1.19 years) wore ActiGraph GT1M accelerometers. Two observers attended each meeting and recorded start/stop points of AR time segments, as well as other tasks (i.e., opening/closing, snack, and Girl Scout curriculum [GSC]). Time-segmented accelerometer data were analyzed using Evenson cut points and paired with observation data. Researchers observed 181 segments (mean/day ± SD = 3.77 ± 1.24). Intervention troops implemented more AR segments/day (mean/day = 0.86; 95% CI = 0.62–1.09) than control troops (mean/day = 0.18; 95% CI = 0.00–0.39). A greater percentage of time (%time) was spent in MVPA during AR segments (mean = 10.99; 95% CI = 7.16–14.82) compared with GSC segments (mean = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.00–4.10), opening/closing (mean = 3.96; 95% CI = 0.54–7.38), and snack (mean = 0.74; 95% CI = 0.00–4.10) segments, and during opening/closing segments compared with GSC and snack segments. Intervention troops implemented more AR segments than control troops. Troop meeting patterns of PA were influenced by task. Adding time segments conducive to PA could increase the %time spent in MVPA during GS troop meetings.
... 11 Adult-led activities should be strategic, occur both indoors and outdoors, 10À12 and be offered multiple times each week. 13 Moreover, physical activity has been positively related to physical skill development. 14 Early childhood educator centers are becoming an important setting for delivering physical activity interventions as teachers intentionally teach children critical movement skills. ...
Objective:
To determine the interrater reliability of the Preschool Movement Assessment (PMA), a unique field-based assessment tool for use by early childhood professionals in preschool settings.
Methods:
A total of 123 preschool children, aged 3-5years, were assessed by 6 trained raters using the PMA tool in an intervention. Interrater agreement on individual items of the PMA was determined using the kappa (κ) and intraclass correlation coefficient statistics.
Results:
Weighted κ values were 0.82-0.96, indicating excellent agreement for all constructs of the PMA. The 95% confidence intervals indicated that all weighted κ's were statistically significant. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the PMA total score was 0.97.
Conclusions and implications:
After additional developmental research, the tool might serve to establish and support a minimum level of functional movements that should be attained before a child enters grade school.
... One of the most effective ways to achieve proficiency in FMS is by increasing daily PA. Schools are the most important venues in promoting PA [6,7] and within school time, PE classes contribute significantly not only to school's moderate and vigorous PA (MVPA), but also to daily MVPA [8]. ...
Objectives:
After categorizing preschool children into "active and low active" according to their moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in PE classes (PE), we compared these two groups within each sex and by sex in: (a) % MVPA and MVPA minutes accrued from each fundamental motor skill (FMS) during PE and (b) % MVPA during school time.
Results:
532 children (mean age 5.2 years, 50% girls) were selected from a nationwide program which provides 3 weekly PE. Children wore accelerometers during one school day which included PE. We recorded the type and duration of each activity indicated by the teacher, classifying each one into the corresponding FMS, extracting its MVPA minutes from the accelerometer software. Children were categorized into active and low active. Comparisons used T-tests. In PE, active children accumulate 40 and 36 percentage points (pp) more MVPA minutes (boys and girls respectively), while during school time, 4 pp more in each sex. Girls are significantly less active. Just considering locomotion, active boys and girls accumulate 11 more MVPA minutes during PE. Active boys surpass the MVPA guideline for PE, while active girls almost reach it. Low active children (especially girls) should intensify locomotor activities during PE.
... Årsagerne til dette rapporteres dog at vaere strukturen for gennemførelse af aktiviteterne, hvor der bruges for meget tid på at forklare regler og rammer for bevaegelse, hvorfor børnene er stillesiddende (Van Cauwenberghe, Labarque, Gubbels, De Bourdeaudhuij, & Cardon, 2012). Et andet Belgisk studie viser, at hvis der inkluderes paedagogstyrede bevaegelsesakti-viteter i løbet af dagen i dagtilbud, højnes maengden af børns bevaegelse og maengden af børns bevaegelse udenfor dagtilbuddet falder ikke (Van Cauwenberghe, De Craemer, De Decker, De Bourdeaudhuij, & Cardon, 2013). Emnet er også taget op af Canadiske forskere, der på baggrund af fokusgruppeinterview med 54 paedagoger pointerer, at der er brug for både fri leg og struktureret paedagogisk aktivitet, for at alle børn i dagtilbud bevaeger sig nok 3 (van Zandvoort et al., 2010). ...
På legepladsen, i motorikrummet eller på gangene i et dansk dagtilbud støder man helt sikkert på børn, der løber, hopper, tumler eller triller frem og tilbage og ind i mellem hinanden. Det er der mange grunde til at glædes over, og samtidig arbejde for at endnu flere får en fysisk aktiv hverdag i dagtilbud. Det er nemlig sådan, at bevægelse fremmer børns glæde (Sørensen, 2012), og bevægelse har gavnlige effekter på motorisk udvikling, psykosocial sundhed ogkognition hos børn i 0-6 års alderen (Sundhedsstyrelsen, 2016).
... However, many preschool children appear to be insufficiently active [5][6][7][8][9] and do not comply with the PA guidelines of 180 min of total PA per day [10,11]. For this reason, several interventions targeting an increase in preschoolers' PA have been developed and implemented, with mixed effects as a result [12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. ...
Background
The ToyBox-intervention is a theory- and evidence-based intervention delivered in kindergartens to improve four- to six-year-old children’s energy balance-related behaviours and prevent obesity. The current study aimed to (1) examine the effect of the ToyBox-intervention on increasing European four- to six-year-old children’ steps per day, and (2) examine if a higher process evaluation score from teachers and parents was related to a more favourable effect on steps per day.
Methods
A sample of 2438 four- to six-year-old children (51.9% boys, mean age 4.75 ± 0.43 years) from 6 European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Poland and Spain) wore a motion sensor (pedometer or accelerometer) for a minimum of two weekdays and one weekend day both at baseline and follow-up to objectively measure their steps per day. Kindergarten teachers implemented the physical activity component of the ToyBox-intervention for 6 weeks in total, with a focus on (1) environmental changes in the classroom, (2) the child performing the actual behaviour and (3) classroom activities. Children’s parents received newsletters, tip cards and posters. To assess intervention effects, multilevel repeated measures analyses were conducted for the total sample and the six intervention countries separately. In addition, process evaluation questionnaires were used to calculate a total process evaluation score (with implementation and satisfaction as a part of the overall score) for teachers and parents which was then linked with the physical activity outcomes.
Results
No significant intervention effects on four- to six-year-old children’ steps per weekday, steps per weekend day and steps per average day were found, both in the total sample and in the country-specific samples (all p > 0.05). In general, the intervention effects on steps per day were least favourable in four- to six-year-old children with a low teachers process evaluation score and most favourable in four- to six-year-old children with a high teachers process evaluation score. No differences in intervention effects were found for a low, medium or high parents’ process evaluation score.
Conclusion
The physical activity component of the ToyBox-intervention had no overall effect on four- to six-year-old children’ steps per day. However, the process evaluation scores showed that kindergarten teachers that implemented the physical activity component of the ToyBox-intervention as planned and were satisfied with the physical activity component led to favourable effects on children’s steps per day. Strategies to motivate, actively involve and engage the kindergarten teachers and parents/caregivers are needed to induce larger effects.
Electronic supplementary material
The online version of this article (10.1186/s12966-017-0574-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
... Belgian preschool children (5.3 y) (Van Cauwenberghe et al., 2013). It characterized PA levels with accelerometers during days with teacher-led PE lesson and days without. ...
Chile's Physical Activity Report Card graded the overall index on PA behavior with an F The Ministry of Sports is implementing since 2014 “Jardín Activo” (JA program) which recommends 3 weekly teacher-led PE lessons for preschool children, on half or full day attendance. We determined the effectiveness of the JA program (contribution to MVPA during school time) and assessed if effectiveness varied according to schedule. 596 five y olds, (50% boys) were selected from 66 schools; 52.9% attended half day and 47.1% full day. Children wore accelerometers during school time a day with and one without PE lesson (JA day/non JA day). We compared PA intensity between both these days by gender, using descriptive statistics and t-tests and determined the differential effect on PA intensity, between non JA and JA days by school schedule, using mixed models analyses We compared β of sedentary and of MVPA by schedule with t-tests. Significant differences were found in PA intensity between both days within each gender. Minutes being sedentary were significantly less during JA days (14 and 15 min in boys and girls respectively); MVPA significantly higher in JA days (11 and 10 min respectively). % time children were sedentary and % they engaged in MVPA differed by schedule. Sedentary minutes were significantly higher (β − 16.2 vs − 13.2) in half day, while the increase in MVPA was significantly higher (β 12.5 vs 9.7) in full day. The JA program is effective, especially when children attend school full time.
... We believe that greater provider engagement and more frequent visits from trained staff may be necessary to enhance the effect as the literature does suggest that teacher-led structured sessions can be successful. 42 As expected, all groups showed significant increases in height, weight, and other body composition variables over time (data not shown), but changes between groups did not differ. However, no within-or between-group differences were observed for percent body fat, which contradicts findings from our pilot work 27 that found that a provider-led physical ac- tivity intervention successfully increased physical activity and reduced adiposity. ...
Objective:
To investigate the effect of a preschool physical activity intervention program delivered in licensed childcare settings, with or without a parent-facilitated home component, on children's daily physical activity, sedentary time, and body composition.
Study design:
For this cluster randomized controlled trial, 18 childcare centers were randomly allocated in equal numbers to the typical curriculum comparison group, childcare intervention alone (CC), or childcare intervention with parental involvement. Accelerometers were used to asses physical activity and sedentary time, and body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance.
Results:
Linear mixed model regression analyses showed no differences between the CC, the childcare intervention with parental involvement, and the comparison groups in changes from baseline to 6 months in total physical activity (P for time × group interaction = .665) or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (P for time × group interaction = .164) when adjusted for baseline physical activity levels. Furthermore, no group differences were found for changes in light physical activity, sedentary time, or anthropometric variables.
Conclusions:
An affordable and easily scalable preschool intervention program delivered in licensed childcare settings, with or without the addition of a parent-driven home physical activity promotion, seems to have no significant effect on physical activity, sedentary time, or body composition.
Trial registration:
ISRCTN: ISRCTN94022291.
... Focusing on the characteristics of preschools that are feasible to be improved, equipment comes to the forefront. Obstruction equipment, such as tunnels, hoops, and portable blocks made of soft material, balance beams and playground balls of various sizes have been found to increase PA levels of preschool aged children (Van Cauwenberghe et al. 2013). Nonetheless, the addition of equipment alone does not seem to be a sufficient strategy for the increase of PA during recess time in preschool (Cardon et al. 2009). ...
Recent research evidence has revealed that Greek preschoolers’ physical activity (PA) levels are not satisfactory. Taking into account the amount of time spent daily in preschool settings as well as the finding that preschool appears to be a significant predictor of children’s PA, the aim of the present study is to provide an overview of the role of Greek preschool settings in children’s PA promotion. For that purpose, data regarding PA in Greek preschools are presented and the possible relevance of school characteristics to PA enhancement, namely the curriculum, school facilities and equipment, are critically discussed. Emphasis is also given to the need for the inclusion of developmentally appropriate physical education in the daily school schedule. Last but not least, the importance, of training not only the physical educators but also preschool teachers in promoting their students' PA is underscored.
... As preschool children spend a considerable amount of time at some form of out-of-home care (e.g. preschools, childcare centres), these settings provide the ideal opportunity to increase preschoolers' PA levels (20). Additionally, involving parents/caregivers may be promising as well, as preschool children spend most of their time at the home environment (21,22), which is an important place for the development of healthy behaviours (23)(24)(25)(26). ...
Although sufficient physical activity is beneficial for preschoolers' health, activity levels in most preschoolers are low. As preschoolers spend a considerable amount of time at home and at kindergarten, interventions should target both environments to increase their activity levels. The aim of the current paper was to describe the six different steps of the Intervention Mapping protocol towards the systematic development and implementation of the physical activity component of the ToyBox-intervention. This intervention is a kindergarten-based, family-involved intervention implemented across six European countries. Based on the results of literature reviews and focus groups with parents/caregivers and kindergarten teachers, matrices of change objectives were created. Then, theory-based methods and practical strategies were selected to develop intervention materials at three different levels: (i) individual level (preschoolers); (ii) interpersonal level (parents/caregivers) and (iii) organizational level (teachers). This resulted in a standardized intervention with room for local and cultural adaptations in each participating country. Although the Intervention Mapping protocol is a time-consuming process, using this systematic approach may lead to an increase in intervention effectiveness. The presented matrices of change objectives are useful for future programme planners to develop and implement an intervention based on the Intervention Mapping protocol to increase physical activity levels in preschoolers.
... Furthermore, changing the policies at European preschools could be seen as potential targets for intervention development, since now, there are differences in European countries that can explain differences in preschoolers' physical activity and beverage consumption. For example, in Belgium and Spain, preschools should include two hours of physical education in the curriculum, which is compulsory in those countries [57][58][59][60]. This is reflected in the individual centre policies, practices and environments which Belgian and Spanish preschools provide for their children. ...
Background
Qualitative research is a method in which new ideas and strategies can be discovered. This qualitative study aimed to investigate parents’ and teachers’ opinions on physical activity and beverage consumption of preschool children. Through separate, independent focus groups, they expressed their perceptions on children’s current physical activity and beverage consumption levels, factors that influence and enhance these behaviours, and anticipated barriers to making changes.
Methods
Multi-cultural and multi-geographical focus groups were carried out in six European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Poland and Spain). In total, twenty-four focus groups with 122 parents and eighteen focus groups with 87 teachers were conducted between October 2010 and January 2011. Based on a semi-structured interview guide, questions on preschoolers’ physical activity (opinions on preschoolers’ physical activity, how to increase physical activity, facilitators and barriers of physical activity) and beverage consumption (rules and policies, factors influencing promotion of healthy drinking, recommendations for future intervention development) were asked. The information was analyzed using qualitative data analysis software (NVivo8).
Results
The focus group results indicated misperceptions of caregivers on preschoolers’ physical activity and beverage consumption levels. Caregivers perceived preschoolers as sufficiently active; they argue that children need to learn to sit still in preparation for primary school. At most preschools, children can drink only water. In some preschools sugar-sweetened beverages like chocolate milk or fruit juices, are also allowed. It was mentioned that sugar-sweetened beverages can be healthy due to mineral and vitamin content, although according to parents their daily intake is limited. These opinions resulted in low perceived needs to change behaviours.
Conclusions
Although previous research shows need of change in obesity-related behaviours, the participants in the current study didn’t perceive such. The awareness of parents and teachers needs to be raised concerning their shared responsibility about healthy behaviours in preschoolers. Providing preschool teachers with ready-to-use classroom material will encourage them to change physical activity and beverage consumption, and to implement related activities in the classroom. Involvement in activities that their children perform at preschool will motivate parents to extend these behaviours to the home environment.
Preschool settings play a significant role in promoting physical activity for children under five years. Most of the time, however, is sedentary (50–94%) with only a small percentage devoted to light (5–27%) or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (1–17%). While the experiences children have during childcare hours can impact theirphysical activity, educators are not the only movement influencers in preschoolers lives. Aside from school, children spend time with family members who develop lifestyle habits and serve as role models for physical activity. However, caretakers hold limited knowledge regarding physical activity recommendations for young children, creating a need for greater teacher-parent collaboration. SHAPE America’s Active Start Guidelines were developed to provide educators, parents, and caretakers guidance for increasing physical activity among the preschool population. Recommendations for how, when, and in what manner parents encourage and participate with their children to be physically active has great potential to positively influence the percentage of preschoolers who meet these guidelines. This article is grounded in the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child framework which states that caregivers, parents, and preschools should work together in a home, school and community approach that supports the health and well-being of young children. The purpose of this article is to address a call for improved physical activity implementation by outlining ways educators can facilitate physical activity within the preschool setting, bridge the knowledge gap with parents, and provide specific ideas to engage family-based physical activity to assist children in meeting Active Start Guidelines 1 and 2.
Regular physical activity during childhood and adolescence is associated with health benefits. Consequently, numerous health promotion programs for children and adolescents emphasize the enhancement of physical activity. However, the ActivityStat hypothesis states that increases in physical activity in one domain are compensated for by decreasing physical activity in another domain. Currently, little is known about how physical activity varies in children and adolescents within intervals of one day or multiple days. This systematic review provides an overview of studies that analyzed changes in (overall) physical activity, which were assessed with objective measurements, or compensatory mechanisms caused by increases or decreases in physical activity in a specific domain in children and adolescents. A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, SportDiscus) was performed with a priori defined inclusion criteria. Two independent researchers screened the literature and identified and rated the methodological quality of the studies. A total of 77 peer-reviewed articles were included that analyzed changes in overall physical activity with multiple methodological approaches resulting in compensation or displacement. Of 40,829 participants, 16,265 indicated compensation associated with physical activity. Subgroup analyses separated by study design, participants, measurement instrument, physical activity context, and intervention duration also showed mixed results toward an indication of compensation. Quality assessment of the included studies revealed that they were of high quality (mean = 0.866). This review provides inconclusive results about compensation in relation to physical activity. A trend toward increased compensation in interventional studies and in interventions of longer duration have been observed.
The purpose of the study was to determine whether the regular leisure-time physical activity of preschool teachers (n = 177) is associated with their self-perceived competence for leading physical activities among preschool children. For the data collection on self-assessed physical activity and the subjective assessment of competence for leading the process of physical activities among preschool children, we used a questionnaire. We can conclude that the leisure-time physical activity of preschool teachers is associated with their subjective perception of competence for leading the process of physical activity among preschool children.
This study examined how the size of playground in the nursery school is related to children's levels of physical activity in playing outdoor (in the playground and outside of the school) and physical ability. We measured physical activity levels of 42 children at 3, 4, and 5 years old, by accelerometer during nursery care for ten days.
We found the following:
(1) that the steps/hour of children at School B with a larger playground was higher than that of children at School A with a smaller playground in 3 and 4 years old, but was not in 5 years old, and
(2) that there was a significant difference between two schools running-activity (LC7-9) time at all ages; School B was more than School A, however,
(3) as a result of two-way ANOVA (schools vs ages) for physical ability, main effect by schools was not significant between two schools, main effect by ages was significant, and
(4) there was a cross-correlation between steps/hour at 3 years old and jumping over at 4 years old, a running-activity time at 3 years old and jumping over at 4 years old.
The playground size did not affect the physical ability, but it affected an activity levels in the playground, which was related to outdoor play in the playground and outside of the school). In conclusion, that outdoor play outside the school is not a substitute for outdoor play in the playground.
This study aimed to examine (seasonal) variations in preschoolers’ physical activity (PA) across the school year when a PA intervention was versus was not in place and whether patterns of change in PA behavior varied between boys and girls. Kiddie Children and Teachers on the Move, a 30-min structured program designed to engage preschoolers in PA during the school day, was implemented 2–4 times per week for 19–22 wk. PA was measured by accelerometry during the school day during five assessment periods (3 with- and 2 w/no intervention). A total of 90 children ( M age = 4.12 ± 0.63, 47 males, 43 females) were included in analyses. A series of 5 (time) × 2 (sex) mixed-model ANOVA was used to examine PA across assessments and whether patterns of change in PA varied by sex. Significant variation in total PA was observed over the school year ( F 4, 352 = 16.35, P < 0.001). Total PA during both nonintervention periods was significantly lower than all three intervention periods (all P s < 0.01). Similar patterns emerged for moderate-to-vigorous PA and compliance with the Institute of Medicine PA guideline for preschoolers. Significant effects of time were not qualified by the time–sex interaction in any model, suggesting that the pattern of change in PA over time did not vary as a function of sex. Follow-up analyses revealed sex differences in PA behavior within assessment periods. Boys’ total and moderate-to-vigorous PA were significantly greater than girls during nonintervention periods; notably, there were no significant sex differences in these PA behaviors during intervention periods. Findings highlight the importance of structured programs to promote preschoolers’ PA, especially during winter months when PA seems to decline.
Background: Regular physical activity during childhood and adolescence is associated with health benefits. Consequently, numerous health promotion programs for children and adolescents emphasize the enhancement of physical activity. However, the ActivityStat hypothesis states that increases in physical activity in one domain are compensated for by decreasing physical activity in another domain. Currently, little is known about how physical activity varies in children and adolescents within intervals of one and multiple days.
Objectives: This systematic review provides an overview of studies that analyze changes in (overall) physical activity, which are assessed with objective measurements, or compensatory mechanisms caused by increases or decreases in physical activity in a specific domain in children and adolescents.
Methods: A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, SportDiscus) was performed with a priori defined inclusion criteria. Two independent researchers screened the literature and identified and rated the methodological quality of the studies.
Results: A total of 77 peer-reviewed articles were included that analyze compensatory mechanisms with multiple methodological approaches. Of 40,829 participants, 16,265 indicated compensation associated with physical activity. Subgroup analyses separated by study design, participants, measurement instrument, physical activity context, and intervention duration also showed mixed results toward indication of compensation. Quality assessment of the included studies revealed high quality (mean = 0.866).
Conclusion: This review provides inconclusive results about compensation in relation to physical activity. A trend toward increased compensation in interventional studies and in interventions of longer duration can be observed.
Background
Structured settings, such as school, childcare, afterschool programs, summer camps, and physical activity/sport programs are crucial to promoting physical activity (PA) opportunities and reducing sedentary (ST) for children and adolescents. However, little is known about how much PA and ST children and adolescents accumulate in structured settings. The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the absolute amount of time youth spend physically active and sedentary in different structured settings (Prospero number: 42018111804).
Methods
Observational and experimental/quasi-experimental studies (baseline data only) with full-text available, written in English and published in a peer-reviewed journal, reporting the total amount of objectively measured PA (light, moderate, vigorous, and/or total physical activity) and/or time spent ST during structured settings among youth (3 to 18 years) were eligible. Adjusted meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the pooled mean of time spent in PA and ST, by settings and sex.
Results
A total of 187 studies (childcare n=60; school n=91; afterschool programs n=14; summer camp n=4; and Physical activity/ sport programs n=18) from 30 countries (47.9% United States), representing 74,870 youth (mean age 8.6 years old) were included. Overall, there was a high variation between studies in outcomes and settings. The meta-analyses revealed, on average, youth spend 221.8 minutes (36.7 min/hour) in ST and 32.1 minutes (5.1 min/hour) in MVPA during childcare hours, and 223.9 minutes (36.7min/hour) in ST and 27.8 min (4.4 min/hour) in MVPA at school. Relatively, youth are engaged in more MVPA in afterschool programs (11.7 min/hour), PA/ sport programs (20.9 min/hour), and summer camps (6.4 min/hour), when compared to childcare and school.
Conclusion
Total PA accumulated during childcare and MVPA accumulated during schools hours were close to recommendations, despite high proportion of ST. Afterschool programs, summer camp and PA/ sport programs are important settings that can contribute to daily PA and reduced ST. Ensuring all youth have access to these structured settings may be an important step forward for public health.
Background
Many preschoolers spend a substantial portion of their day enrolled in centre-based childcare; the amounts of physical activity and sedentary time accumulated in this environment are critical to preschoolers’ ability to meet movement guidelines. The purpose of this systematic review was to provide a comprehensive overview of the objectively assessed physical activity and sedentary time of preschoolers in centre-based childcare (registration no. CRD42016033502).
Methods
Eight online databases were searched using terms related to physical activity, sedentary time, preschoolers and centre-based childcare. Published, peer-reviewed primary studies written in English that objectively assessed (via accelerometry) the physical activity and sedentary time of preschoolers (2-5 years) in centre-based childcare were included.
Results
Fifty-five studies (published 2004-2017) from 11 countries, representing 13,956 participants were included. Studies reported light physical activity (n=38) ranging from 2.94 to 29.96 mins/hr, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (n=46) which ranged from 1.29 to 22.66 mins/hr, and total physical activity (n=42) ranging from 4.23 to 47.17 mins/hr. Sedentary time (n=47) ranged from 12.38 to 55.77 mins/hr.
Conclusion
Physical activity and sedentary time were highly varied and inconsistent between studies; therefore, it is difficult to determine preschoolers’ true amount of physical activity and sedentary time during childcare hours. Despite this variability, preschoolers were noted to participate in high rates of sedentary time in this setting. The lack of homogeneity is an important finding in and of itself as it highlights the lack of consistency in measuring, processing, and reporting paediatric physical activity data.
This study examined how the size of playground in the nursery school is related to children's levels of physical activity in playing outdoor (in the playground and outside of the school). We compared two nursery schools, School A with a smaller playground and School B with a larger playground. A total of 42 children (20 children from School A；22 children from School B) participated.
We observed children's outdoor play for ten days in the morning and measured physical activity levels by accelerometer. We found the following：
(1) that the activity level of children at School A with a smaller playground was lower than that of children at School B with a larger playground, and
(2) that outside-of-the-school outdoor play is associated with higher activity levels than outdoor play in the school playground, however,
(3) that both schools did outside-of-the-school outdoor play only once during the two week observation period.
Given the vital importance of providing children with enough outdoor play, we must address playground size and use of outside-of-the-school outdoor play.
Aim. The aim of this study was to analyse motor skills in preschoolers from Piła and to investigate sports equipment owned by the children as well as their parents' attitude towards physical activity. Material and methods. Parents of 165 preschoolers from Piła filled in questionnaires on their children's motor skills, involvement of family members and other persons in teaching the children motor skills, sports equipment owned by the children and their own attitude towards physical activity, including parents' attitude towards their children's physical activity and parents' physical activity. Statistical analysis was performed by the IBM SPSS Statistics 21 computer programme. Results. Gender had statistically significant influence on the percentages of children who had the skill of skating, rollerblading and skipping a rope, and who owned a skipping rope. Gender had also statistically significant influence on parents' answers to the question whether their children's physical activity at preschool was sufficient. Conclusions. It seems that the low percentages of physically active parents along with the low percentages of parents who stated that their knowledge of the role of physical activity in child's development was sufficient may be one of the main causes of their children's low level of physical activity. Lack of the preschool staff's involvement in teaching the children motor skills is highly unfavourable. It is indispensable to work out, as soon as possible, an education programme for preschoolers' parents and preschool staff, as well as for the local authorities, focused on the possibilities of increasing preschool children's physical activity.
There is growing interest in the role of sedentary behavior as a risk factor for poor health, independent of physical activity (PA). To guide the spectrum of descriptive, analytic, and intervention studies on sedentary behavior, the authors advocate a behavioral epidemiology framework. This 5-phase framework is useful because it outlines a series of sequential stages important for developing, evaluating, and diffusing interventions to reduce sedentary behavior and improve population health. Studies of sedentary behavior and health outcomes (phase I) have found consistent evidence that excessive use of screen-based media is linked to overweight and obesity in children, and there is some evidence among adults that overall sedentary time is associated with risk factors for cardiometabolic disease, some cancers, and mortality. Biological mechanisms to explain possible relationships have started to emerge but are mostly based on animal models. Obtaining valid and reliable measurements of sedentary behavior (phase II) remains a research priority because self-reports are prone to recall bias, and it appears that sedentary habits do not appear to be well represented by measures of individual behaviors such as TV viewing. Studies have identified few modifiable correlates of sedentary behavior (phase III), although research appears to be limited to studies of TV viewing or to scenarios in which sedentary behavior is defined as an absence of PA. Rigorous intervention research (phase IV) has focused almost exclusively on reducing self-reported TV viewing among children and adolescents, and there is consistent evidence that these interventions are efficacious. There appear to be no interventions focused exclusively on reducing sedentary behavior of adults. Translation studies (phase V) are absent because the underlying evidence is still emerging. Future research should focus on examining causal associations between sedentary behavior and health, developing objective measures of domain-specific sitting time, and identifying modifiable correlates of sedentary behavior that can be used as leverage points for behavioral interventions.
Noting that infants should be encouraged to be physically active from the beginning of life to enhance physical and cognitive development, this statement provides teachers, parents, caregivers, and health care professionals with guidelines that address the kinds of activities, the environment, and the individuals responsible for facilitating very young children's physical activity. Following an introduction and overview, the statement provides five guidelines for each age group: infants (birth to 12 months), toddlers (12 to 36 months), and preschoolers (3 to 5 years). Each guideline addresses the "what,""where," and "who" of physical activity. Following the guidelines, the statement answers frequently asked questions. A glossary and chart of common motor behaviors, by age, conclude the statement. (Contains 40 references and lists recommended resources and related Web sites.) (HTH)
The early years represent a critical period for promoting physical activity. However, the amount of physical activity needed for healthy growth and development is not clear. Using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework, we aimed to present the best available evidence to determine the relationship between physical activity and measures of adiposity, bone and skeletal health, motor skill development, psychosocial health, cognitive development, and cardiometabolic health indicators in infants (1 month - 1 year), toddlers (1.1-3.0 years), and preschoolers (3.1-4.9 years). Online databases, personal libraries, and government documents were searched for relevant studies. Twenty-two articles, representing 18 unique studies and 12 742 enrolled participants, met inclusion criteria. The health indicators of interest were adiposity (n = 11), bone and skeletal health (n = 2), motor development (n = 4), psychosocial health (n = 3), cognitive development (n = 1), and cardiometabolic health indicators (n = 3); these indicators were pre-specified by an expert panel. Five unique studies involved infants, 2 involved toddlers, and 11 involved preschoolers. In infants, there was low-to moderate-quality evidence to suggest that increased or higher physical activity was positively associated with improved measures of adiposity, motor skill development, and cognitive development. In toddlers, there was moderate-quality evidence to suggest that increased or higher physical activity was positively associated with bone and skeletal health. In preschoolers, there was low-to high-quality evidence on the relationship between increased or higher physical activity and improved measures of adiposity, motor skill development, psychosocial health, and cardiometabolic health indicators. There was no serious inconsistency in any of the studies reviewed. This evidence can help to inform public health guidelines. (PROSPERO registration: CRD42011001243)
Accumulating evidence suggests that young children spend excessive time being sedentary. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the relationship between sedentary behaviours and health indicators during the early years (ages 0-4 years). Using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework, this review aimed to present the best available evidence on the threshold of sedentary behaviour associated with healthy measures of adiposity, bone health, motor skill development, psychosocial health, cognitive development, and cardiometabolic health indicators in infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Online databases, personal libraries, and government documents were searched for relevant studies. Studies that included an intervention (or experimental) group or prospective analysis were included. Twenty-one unique studies, representing 23 papers and 22 417 participants, met inclusion criteria; 7 studies included information on infants, 13 on toddlers, and 10 on preschoolers. Of these, 11, 6, and 8 studies reported data on adiposity, psychosocial health, and cognitive development, respectively. No included study reported on motor skill development, bone, or cardiometabolic health indicators. In conclusion, this review found low- to moderate-quality evidence to suggest that increased television viewing is associated with unfavourable measures of adiposity and decreased scores on measures of psychosocial health and cognitive development. No evidence existed to indicate that television viewing is beneficial for improving psychosocial health or cognitive development. In several instances a dose-response relationship was evident between increased time spent watching television and decreased psychosocial health or cognitive development. This work may be used as evidence to inform public health guidelines. (PROSPERO registration: CRD4011001280.).
The present study aimed to develop accelerometer cut points to classify physical activities (PA) by intensity in preschoolers and to investigate discrepancies in PA levels when applying various accelerometer cut points.
To calibrate the accelerometer, 18 preschoolers (5.8 ± 0.4 years) performed eleven structured activities and one free play session while wearing a GT1M ActiGraph accelerometer using 15 s epochs. The structured activities were chosen based on the direct observation system Children's Activity Rating Scale (CARS) while the criterion measure of PA intensity during free play was provided using a second-by-second observation protocol (modified CARS). Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used to determine the accelerometer cut points. To examine the classification differences, accelerometer data of four consecutive days from 114 preschoolers (5.5 ± 0.3 years) were classified by intensity according to previously published and the newly developed accelerometer cut points. Differences in predicted PA levels were evaluated using repeated measures ANOVA and Chi Square test.
Cut points were identified at 373 counts/15 s for light (sensitivity: 86%; specificity: 91%; Area under ROC curve: 0.95), 585 counts/15 s for moderate (87%; 82%; 0.91) and 881 counts/15 s for vigorous PA (88%; 91%; 0.94). Further, applying various accelerometer cut points to the same data resulted in statistically and biologically significant differences in PA.
Accelerometer cut points were developed with good discriminatory power for differentiating between PA levels in preschoolers and the choice of accelerometer cut points can result in large discrepancies.
Research has indicated that the child care center is a very strong predictor of preschool-aged children's physical activity levels, making this an important setting to help young children obtain physical activity that is appropriate for their health and development. However, some evidence suggests that organized child care may not adequately support children's physical activity needs. Although many organizations provide recommendations, guidelines, or standards for motor skill development and physical activity opportunities, no set of guidelines exist that directly target the overall physical activity environment at child care. Because of the lack of comprehensive recommendations, the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-assessment for Child Care best-practice guidelines for healthy weight development were created on the basis of an extensive review of existing guidelines, research evidence, and expert review. The purpose of this article is to present these physical activity best-practice guidelines and provide data on how these guidelines compare to current practice in a large sample (N = 96) of child care centers in North Carolina. These best-practice guidelines include recommendations for 8 unique components of the child care environment, including active opportunities, fixed play environment, portable play environment, sedentary opportunities, sedentary environment, staff behavior, staff training/education, and physical activity policies. Our results showed that only a few of the best-practice guidelines were achieved by a majority of the 96 North Carolina child care centers that participated in this study. Establishing comprehensive guidelines for physical activity at child care could result in higher activity levels and healthier children, but more research is needed.
The purpose of this study was to examine policies and characteristics of preschools and the extent to which they influence the physical activity of 3- to 5-year-old children during the preschool day.
A total of 299 children from 20 preschools wore accelerometers for an average of 8.1 hours/day (SD: 1.5 hours/day), for 5.5 days (SD: 2.1 days). A researcher completed the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised for each preschool to assess quality. Classrooms and playgrounds were measured, and the preschool director was interviewed about physical activity policies. For each policy or characteristic, preschools were divided into 2 groups on the basis of whether the characteristic/policy was presumed to promote or not promote physical activity.
Children spent fewer minutes per hour in sedentary activity and more minutes per hour in moderate/vigorous physical activity in preschools that had higher quality scores, less fixed playground equipment, more portable playground equipment, lower use of electronic media, and larger playgrounds. Five preschools had all 5 of these characteristics, and children in those preschools had significantly more moderate/vigorous physical activity minutes per hour and fewer sedentary minutes per hour compared with children in the other preschools.
Children in the top 5 physical activity-promoting preschools accumulated >60 minutes of moderate/vigorous physical activity per day, compared with the children in the other preschools, who accumulated <60 minutes of moderate/vigorous physical activity per day.
Opportunities for children to be physically active during school time are sparse and becoming increasingly so. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if children would compensate for school days (9 a.m.-3 p.m.) of restricted physical activity opportunities by increasing activity levels after school (3 p.m.-7:30 p.m.). Third and fourth grade children (N = 76) each wore a CSA accelerometer for 4 nonconsecutive days. Two days were categorized as active--during school, all children participated in outdoor recess and physical education class. Two days were categorized as restricted--all children spent their recess time indoors at a computer terminal, and no physical education class was scheduled. Dependent t tests revealed that children did not compensate for a sedentary school day by increasing their levels of physical activity after school. In fact, average movement counts per minute were higher in the 3 p.m.-7:30 p.m. period following the active day (525 counts.min-1) versus the restricted day (186 counts.min-1). These findings suggest cause for concern if children's opportunities to be active within school time are limited. Several reasons are given as to why children did not compensate or "make up" for the physical activity opportunities missed during the restricted school day.
There is currently wide interest in the physical activity of children, but little understanding of its control. Here, we use accelerometers to test the hypothesis that habitual activity in young children is centrally, rather than environmentally, regulated. By central regulation we mean a classic biological feedback loop, with a set-point individual to the child, which controls his/her activity independently of external factors.
Non-intervention, observational and population-based, set in the home and at school.
Girls were systematically less active than boys, and both weekday/weekend day and year-on-year activities were correlated (r=0.43-0.56). A fivefold variation in timetabled PE explained less than 1% of the total variation in physical activity. The activity cost of transport to school was only 2% of total activity, but over 90% of it was recovered elsewhere in the day. The weekly activity recorded by children in Plymouth was the same (to within <0.3%) as that recorded independently in Glasgow, 800 km away. Total daily activity was unrelated to time reportedly spent watching TV.
The correlations within groups and the similarities between them suggest that physical activity in children is under central biological regulation. There are implications both for public health planners and for the potentially novel signalling pathways involved.
Accurate physical activity quantification in preschoolers is essential to establish physical activity prevalence, dose-response relationships between activity and health outcomes, and intervention effectiveness. To date, best practice approaches for physical activity measurement in preschool-aged children have been relatively understudied. This article provides a review of physical activity measurement tools for preschoolers, an overview of measurement of preschoolers' physical activity, and directions for further research. Electronic and manual literature searches were used to identify 49 studies that measured young children's physical activity, and 32 studies that assessed the validity and/or reliability of physical activity measures with preschool-aged children. While no prevalence data exist, measurement studies indicate that preschool children exhibit low levels of vigorous activity and high levels of inactivity, boys are more active than girls, and activity patterns tend to be sporadic and omnidirectional. As such, measures capable of capturing differing activity intensities in very short timeframes and over multiple planes are likely to have the most utility with this population. Accelerometers are well suited for this purpose, and a number of models have been used to objectively quantify preschoolers' physical activity. Only one model of pedometer has been investigated for validity with preschool-aged children, showing equivocal results. Direct observation of physical activity can provide detailed contextual information on preschoolers' physical activity, but is subjective and impractical for understanding daily physical activity. Proxy-report questionnaires are unlikely to be useful for determining actual physical activity levels of young children, and instead may be useful for identifying potential correlates of activity. Establishing validity is challenging due to the absence of a precise physical activity measure, or 'criterion', for young children. Both energy expenditure (EE) and direct observation have been considered criterion measures in the literature; however, EE is influenced by multiple variables, so its use as a physical activity 'criterion' is not ideal. Also, direct observation is inherently subjective, and coding protocols may result in failure to capture intermittent activity, thereby limiting its utility as a physical activity criterion. Accordingly, these issues must be taken into account where EE or direct observation are used to validate physical activity instruments. A combination of objective monitoring and direct observation may provide the best standard for the assessment of physical activity measurement tools. Ideally, the convergent validity of various physical activity tools should be investigated to determine the level of agreement between currently available measures. The correlational approaches commonly employed in the assessment of physical activity measures do not reveal this relationship, and can conceal potential bias of either measure.
This study evaluated the effect of a "move and learn" curriculum on physical activity (PA) in 3- to 5-year-olds attending a half-day preschool program.
Classrooms were randomized to receive an 8-week move and learn program or complete their usual curriculum. In intervention classes, opportunities for PA were integrated into all aspects of the preschool curriculum, including math, science, language arts, and nutrition education. Changes in PA were measured objectively using accelerometry and direct observation.
At the completion of the 8-week intervention, children completing the move and learn curriculum exhibited significantly higher levels of classroom moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) than children completing their usual curriculum. Significant differences were also noted for classroom VPA over the final 2 weeks.
The results suggest that integrating movement experiences into an existing early childhood curriculum is feasible and a potentially effective strategy for promoting PA in preschool children.
Accurate physical activity quantification in preschoolers is essential to establish physical activity prevalence, dose-response relationships between activity and health outcomes, and intervention effectiveness. To date, best practice approaches for physical activity measurement in preschool-aged children have been relatively understudied. This article provides a review of physical activity measurement tools for preschoolers, an overview of measurement of preschoolers’ physical activity, and directions for further research. Electronic and manual literature searches were used to identify 49 studies that measured young children’s physical activity, and 32 studies that assessed the validity and/or reliability of physical activity measures with preschool-aged children. While no prevalence data exist, measurement studies indicate that preschool children exhibit low levels of vigorous activity and high levels of inactivity, boys are more active than girls, and activity patterns tend to be sporadic and omnidirectional. As such, measures capable of capturing differing activity intensities in very short timeframes and over multiple planes are likely to have the most utility with this population. Accelerometers are well suited for this purpose, and a number of models have been used to objectively quantify preschoolers’ physical activity. Only one model of pedometer has been investigated for validity with preschool-aged children, showing equivocal results. Direct observation of physical activity can provide detailed contextual information on preschoolers’ physical activity, but is subjective and impractical for understanding daily physical activity. Proxy-report questionnaires are unlikely to be useful for determining actual physical activity levels of young children, and instead may be useful for identifying potential correlates of activity. Establishing validity is challenging due to the absence of a precise physical activity measure, or ‘criterion’, for young children. Both energy expenditure (EE) and direct observation have been considered criterion measures in the literature; however, EE is influenced by multiple variables, so its use as a physical activity ‘criterion’ is not ideal. Also, direct observation is inherently subjective, and coding protocols may result in failure to capture intermittent activity, thereby limiting its utility as a physical activity criterion. Accordingly, these issues must be taken into account where EE or direct observation are used to validate physical activity instruments. A combination of objective monitoring and direct observation may provide the best standard for the assessment of physical activity measurement tools. Ideally, the convergent validity of various physical activity tools should be investigated to determine the level of agreement between currently available measures. The correlational approaches commonly employed in the assessment of physical activity measures do not reveal this relationship, and can conceal potential bias of either measure.
Preschools offer two main opportunities, recess and physical education (PE), for preschool children to participate in physical activity (PA) and are considered a suitable institution for PA promotion given the large number of children enrolled. Although PE can have a meaningful effect on preschoolers’ PA levels, preschool PE characteristics associated with increased PA have, to the best of our knowledge, not been identified. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine preschooler's PA levels and the associations with lesson context, teacher behavior, and environment during preschool physical education. A random sample of 573 preschoolers (288 boys; Mage = 5.4 years, SD = 0.4) from 35 preschools was examined during one PE class. Findings indicated that preschoolers accumulated 12 min (33%) of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), 5 min (13%) of light PA, and 20 min (54%) of sedentary behavior during PE. Forty-seven percent of the variance in pupils’ MVPA may be attributed to differences between PE classes. Less knowledge content, less promotion, less management, less preschoolers per 100 m2, using obstruction material, and not using throwing equipment were significantly associated with higher MVPA levels. These predictors explained 56% of the variance in MVPA at the PE class-level. To conclude, PE in its current format contributes only a small amount to the PA requirements of preschoolers. Preschoolers’ MVPA levels were related to modifiable PE characteristics indicating that preschool PE can be restructured to increase MVPA.
Objectives. Obesity has become a global epidemic but our understanding of the problem in children is limited due to lack of comparable representative data from different countries, and varying criteria for defining obesity. This paper summarises the available information on recent trends in child overweight and obesity prevalence. Methods. PubMed was searched for data relating to trends over time, in papers published between January 1980 and October 2005. Additional studies identified by citations in retrieved papers and by consultation with experts were included. Data for trends over time were found for school-age populations in 25 countries and for pre-school populations in 42 countries. Using these reports, and data collected for the World Health Organization's Burden of Disease Program, we estimated the global prevalence of overweight and obesity among school-age children for 2006 and likely prevalence levels for 2010. Results. The prevalence of childhood overweight has increased in almost all countries for which data are available. Exceptions are found among school-age children in Russia and to some extent Poland during the 1990s. Exceptions are also found among infant and pre-school children in some lower-income countries. Obesity and overweight has increased more dramatically in economically developed countries and in urbanized populations. Conclusions. There is a growing global childhood obesity epidemic, with a large variation in secular trends across countries. Effective programs and policies are needed at global, regional and national levels to limit the problem among children.
To determine the relationship between family child care home (FCCH) practices and characteristics, and objectively measured physical activity (PA) among children attending FCCHs.
FCCH practices and characteristics were assessed in 45 FCCHs in Oregon (USA) in 2010-2011 using the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care Instrument. Within the 45 FCCHs, 136 children between ages 2 and 5 years wore an accelerometer during child care attendance over a one-week period. Time spent in light, moderate, and vigorous PA per hour was calculated using intensity-related cut-points (Pate et al., 2006).
FCCH characteristics and practices associated with higher levels of PA (min/h; p<0.05) included provision of sufficient outdoor active play [32.2 (1.0) vs. 28.6 (1.3)], active play using portable play equipment [31.7 (1.0) vs. 29.3 (1.4)], the presence of a variety of fixed play equipment [32.2 (1.0) vs. 28.9 (1.3)], and suitable indoor play space [32.2 (1.0) vs. 28.6 (1.3)], engaging in active play with children [32.1 (1.1) vs. 29.6 (1.2)], and receiving activity-related training [33.1 (1.2) vs. 30.3 (1.1)].
This is the first study to identify practices and characteristics of FCCHs that influence children's PA. These data should be considered when developing programs and policies to promote PA in FCCHs.
In this study, physical activity (PA) was objectively measured in 213 Belgian preschoolers (M(age) = 4.98, SD = .88 years) over 4 consecutive days including two weekend days. Within-day variability in PA showed a typical activity pattern during weekdays and weekend days. Weekdays clearly reflected a preschool attending day with more peaks and troughs than weekend days and after-school hours were characterized by a decrease in activity. Between-day variability in PA was identified in preschool girls above the age of four, suggesting that the lack of a structured preschool environment is already related with a decrease in PA in this sex-specific age group. The results of this study are informative for the development of future PA interventions and indicate that both the preschool and the home environment should be targeted in the promotion of preschoolers' PA.
To explore the activitystat hypothesis in primary school children by asking whether more physical activity (PA) in school time is compensated for by less PA at other times.
Observational, repeated measures (four consecutive occasions over a 12-month period).
South-west England.
A total of 206 children (115 boys, aged 8-10 years) from 3 primary schools (S1, S2 and S3), which recorded large differences in PA during school time.
Total PA (TPA) and its moderate-and-vigorous component were recorded weekly by accelerometry, in school and out of school, and adjusted for local daily rainfall and daylight hours. Habitual PA was assessed by linear mixed-effects modelling on repeated measures.
S1 children recorded 64% more in-school PA, but S2 and S3 children compensated with correspondingly more out-of-school PA, so that TPA between the three schools was no different: 35.6 (34.3-36.9), 37.3 (36.0-38.6) and 36.2 (34.9-37.5) Units, respectively (P=0.38).
The PA of children seems to compensate in such a way that more activity at one time is met with less activity at another. The failure of PA programmes to reduce childhood obesity could be attributable to this compensation.
The purpose of this study was to analyse differences between total physical activity (TPA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) of pre-school children during daily school hours when they attended the physical education class (PED) and school days without PE class (NPED) and to assess the contribution of PE classes to TPA in school hours.
The sample was composed of 193 pre-school healthy children (96 girls) aged from three to five years old and was conducted between February and December of 2008. Children wore accelerometers for at least four consecutive days during school hours. Data were analysed with specific software, age-specific counts-per-minute cut-off points and a 5 s epoch were used. Independent and general linear model repeated measures were used to assess differences between gender and differences between different days within each gender, respectively.
Boys engaged more MVPA than girls (P < 0.05). During PED, pre-school children engaged significantly more in TPA and MVPA than during NPED (P < 0.05). PE class contributed, on average, 27.7% for the TPA and 32.8% of daily MVPA during PED in both gender.
The results of this study suggest that structured PA such as a PE class increased the daily TPA and MVPA level of pre-school children.
Experts agree that physical activity is critical to children's health and development. Child care is an ideal setting that could be used to increase physical activity given the large number of young children enrolled. To effectively address physical activity at child care, it is necessary to understand what strategies are most effective. This article reviews existing intervention studies targeting physical activity conducted within a child care setting (including preschools, nursery schools, and day care). Given the limited work in this setting, liberal criteria were used that allowed for inclusion of studies with diverse outcomes (physical activity, physical activity-related, motor skills) and a variety of research designs (randomized control, quasi-experimental, single group). Searching six databases, 1355 studies were located, and 19 met inclusion criteria. Half of the studies that assessed intervention impact on physical activity reported significant findings. All five studies measuring motor skills and eight assessing physical activity-related outcomes demonstrated generally positive findings. Although the variety of outcome measures and research quality made it difficult to draw conclusions, findings do provide encouragement that regularly provided, structured physical activity programs can increase the amount and intensity of physical activity that children receive and improve children's motor skills. These studies also demonstrate that the organized child care setting provides multiple targets for intervention beyond structured activity programs; however, additional studies are needed to explore such opportunities.
This paper reviews the evidence behind the methodological decisions accelerometer users make when assessing habitual physical activity in children aged 0-5 years. The purpose of the review is to outline an evidence-guided protocol for using accelerometry in young children and to identify gaps in the evidence base where further investigation is required. Studies evaluating accelerometry methodologies in young children were reviewed in two age groups (0-2 years and 3-5 years) to examine: (i) which accelerometer should be used, (ii) where the accelerometer should be placed, (iii) which epoch should be used, (iv) how many days of monitoring are required, (v) how many minutes of monitoring per day are required, (vi) how data should be reduced, (vii) which cut-point definitions for identifying activity intensity should be used, and (viii) which physical activity outcomes should be reported and how. Critique of the available evidence provided a basis for the development of a recommended users protocol in 3-5-year olds, although several issues require further research. Because of the absence of methodological studies in children under 3 years, a protocol for the use of accelerometers in this age range could not be specified. Formative studies examining the utility, feasibility and validity of accelerometer-based physical activity assessments are required in children under 3 years of age. Recommendations for further research are outlined, based on the above findings, which, if undertaken, will enhance the accuracy of accelerometer-based assessments of habitual physical activity in young children.
Prevalence of obesity in preschool children has increased dramatically in recent years. The preschool years (age 3-6 years) have been regarded as critical for the programming of energy balance, via the concept of early 'adiposity rebound'. Children who undergo early adiposity rebound are at increased risk of later obesity. Recent evidence suggests that associations between timing of adiposity rebound and later obesity may not reflect programming, but might denote that 'obesogenic' growth trajectories are often established by the preschool period. Studies of objectively-measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour in preschool children show that levels of physical activity are typically low and sedentary behaviour high. The review of evidence presented here is supportive of the hypothesis that physical activity is protective against obesity in the preschool period, and that sedentary behaviour, particularly television viewing, is obesogenic. Definitive evidence on dose-response relationships between physical activity, sedentary behaviour and obesity remain unclear. Dose-response evidence could be obtained fairly readily by intervention and longitudinal observational studies that use accelerometry in preschool children. The generalisability of much of the evidence base is limited and there is a need for research on the influence of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in the preschool years in the aetiology of obesity in the developing world.
We have observed that the nature and amount of free play in young children has changed. Our purpose in this article is to demonstrate why play, and particularly active, unstructured, outdoor play, needs to be restored in children's lives. We propose that efforts to increase physical activity in young children might be more successful if physical activity is promoted using different language-encouraging play-and if a different set of outcomes are emphasized-aspects of child well-being other than physical health. Because most physical activity in preschoolers is equivalent to gross motor play, we suggest that the term "play" be used to encourage movement in preschoolers. The benefits of play on children's social, emotional, and cognitive development are explored.
With increased numbers of children attending child care, this setting presents an ideal opportunity to promote physical activity and the early development of healthy behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between the childcare environment and physical activity behavior of preschool children.
Aspects of the environment hypothesized to influence children's physical activity were assessed in 20 childcare centers using the Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation (EPAO) instrument. Physical activity behavior was assessed over 2 days using direct observation.
Children in centers with supportive environments achieved more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (15% of observations vs 9%; effect size [ES]=1.17), spent less time in sedentary activities (50% vs 61%; ES=-1.52), and had higher mean physical activity levels (2.68 vs 2.43; ES=1.41) compared to centers with less supportive environments. Facets of the physical and social environment related to physical activity behavior included active opportunities, portable play equipment, fixed play equipment, sedentary environment, and physical activity training and education.
Previous research indicates that the childcare center that children attend significantly affects physical activity behavior. The current findings extend this evidence by identifying aspects of the childcare environment that relate to the physical activity behavior of children. These factors should be considered when identifying determinants of physical activity and designing interventions.
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