scholarly journals Calibration and Evaluation of an Objective Measure of Physical Activity in Preschool Children

2005 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
John R. Sirard ◽  
Stewart G. Trost ◽  
Karin A. Pfeiffer ◽  
Marsha Dowda ◽  
Russell R. Pate
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Interobserver Reliability ◽  
Objective Measure ◽  
Preschool Age ◽  
Physical Activity Intensity ◽  
Activity Intensity ◽  
Preschool Age Children ◽  
Trained Observers ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity

Background:The purposes of this study were 1) to establish accelerometer count cutoffs to categorize activity intensity of 3 to 5-y old-children and 2) to evaluate the accelerometer as a measure of children’s physical activity in preschool settings.Methods:While wearing an ActiGraph accelerometer, 16 preschool children performed five, 3-min structured activities. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analyses identified count cutoffs for four physical activity intensities. In 9 preschools, 281 children wore an ActiGraph during observations performed by three trained observers (interobserver reliability = 0.91 to 0.98).Results:Separate count cutoffs for 3, 4, and 5-y olds were established. Sensitivity and specificity for the count cutoffs ranged from 86.7% to 100.0% and 66.7% to 100.0%, respectively. ActiGraph counts/15 s were different among all activities (P < 0.05) except the two sitting activities. Correlations between observed and ActiGraph intensity categorizations at the preschools ranged from 0.46 to 0.70 (P < 0.001).Conclusions:The ActiGraph count cutoffs established and validated in this study can be used to objectively categorize the time that preschool-age children spend in different physical activity intensity levels.

scholarly journals A Comparison of Preschoolers’ Physical Activity Indoors versus Outdoors at Child Care

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 2463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pooja Tandon ◽  
Brian Saelens ◽  
Chuan Zhou ◽  
Dimitri Christakis
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Child Care ◽  
Preschool Age ◽  
Accelerometer Data ◽  
Physical Activity Intensity ◽  
Activity Intensity ◽  
Preschool Age Children ◽  
Gps Devices ◽  
Outdoor Location ◽  
Indoor And Outdoor

The aims of this study were to quantify and examine differences in preschoolers’ indoor and outdoor sedentary time and physical activity intensity at child care using GPS devices and accelerometers. We conducted an observational study of 46 children (mean age 4.5 years, 30 boys, 16 girls) from five child care centers who wore accelerometers and GPS devices around their waists for five days during regular child care hours. GPS signal-to-noise ratios were used to determine indoor vs. outdoor location. Accelerometer data were categorized by activity intensity. Children spent, on average, 24% of child care time outdoors (range 12–37% by site), averaging 74 min daily outdoors (range 30–119 min), with 54% of children spending ≥60 min/day outdoors. Mean accelerometer activity counts were more than twice as high outdoors compared to indoors (345 (95) vs. 159 (38), (p < 0.001)), for girls and boys. Children were significantly less sedentary (51% of time vs. 75%) and engaging in more light (18% vs. 13%) and moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) (31% vs. 12%) activity when outdoors compared to indoors (p < 0.001). To achieve a minute of MVPA, a preschooler needed to spend 9.1 min indoors vs. 3.8 min outdoors. Every additional 10 min outdoors each day was associated with a 2.9 min increase in MVPA (2.7 min for girls, 3.0 min for boys). Preschool-age children are twice as active and less sedentary when outdoors compared to indoors in child care settings. To help preschoolers achieve MVPA recommendations and likely attain other benefits, one strategy is to increase the amount of time they spend outdoors and further study how best to structure it.

scholarly journals A Narrative Review of Children’s Movement Competence Research 1997-2017

2019 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shane Pill ◽  
Stephen Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Elementary School ◽  
Sedentary Behaviour ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Competence Assessment ◽  
Physical Activity Intensity ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
The Past ◽  
Activity Intensity ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity

AbstractThis paper reviews empirical research exploring primary/elementary school aged children movement competence assessment over the twenty year period, 1997-2017. The review occurs within the context of a recent global report into children’s physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and movement competence revealing many children reach adolescence with poor movement competence attainment. A qualitative, narrative review of this extant literature on children’s movement competence research was undertaken. Themes were interpretatively drawn from an examination of the summaries. The number of different test types and protocols used in this field of research complicates the comparison of findings and outcomes of the research. The most common reported upon factor in movement competence was gender. Evidence of an association between movement competence, physical activity intensity and habitual physical activity was found. The sameness of the findings over the past twenty years leads us to suggest that new and novel research methods would enhance understanding in this area, particularly with regards to programs that are successful in moving more children towards movement competence benchmarks.

scholarly journals Preschool children's physical activity intensity during school time: Influence of school schedule

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 6-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Kain ◽  
Bárbara Leyton ◽  
Fernando Concha ◽  
Michael Close ◽  
Johana Soto-Sánchez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Activity Intensity ◽  
Activity Intensity ◽  
School Time ◽  
School Schedule ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity

scholarly journals Health behavior of families having preschool-age children

Medicina ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 43 (10) ◽  
pp. 816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aušra Petrauskienė ◽  
Liudmila Dregval ◽  
Sandra Petkutė
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Health Behavior ◽  
Preschool Age ◽  
University Education ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Fresh Vegetables ◽  
Preschool Age Children ◽  
Vegetables And Fruits ◽  
Watching Tv

The aim of this study is to assess health behavior among families growing up the preschool children. The study was performed in 2007 in Kaunas kindergartens selected randomly. The anonymous questionnaires were filled in by 271 families. Mothers answered to the questions more frequently than fathers did. Fathers were less educated than mothers. It was estimated that preschool-age children used fresh vegetables and fruits insufficiently. Two-thirds of children ate fresh vegetables at least once a day, and only 1 of 20 – 3 times a day. Children ate fresh fruits more frequently than vegetables: every tenth child used them three times a day. The tendency of relation between parents’ education and frequency of eating fresh vegetables and fruits was established. More frequently they were used in families where parents had university education. Physical activity of examined families was insufficient. Half of the parents have never done their morning exercises, and about half of the preschool-age children did their exercises rarely (12.5%) or never (41.4%). The majority of children exercised every day in families where fathers had incomplete secondary/secondary education. Children spend much time passively watching TV or playing with computer. Harmful habits among parents are spread widely in the families: more than one-third of fathers and every thirteenth mother smoke regularly; alcohol is used in the majority of families.

scholarly journals Objectively Assessed Physical Activity of Preschool-Aged Children from Urban Areas

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 1375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jarosław Herbert ◽  
Piotr Matłosz ◽  
Justyna Lenik ◽  
Agnieszka Szybisty ◽  
Joanna Baran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Vigorous Physical Activity ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Preschool Age ◽  
Health Priorities ◽  
Preschool Age Children ◽  
Active Lifestyles

Little is known about physical activity (PA) of preschool-age children in Poland through the course of the day. PA monitoring using an accelerometer increases the reliability of measuring daily PA levels and offers a reasonable compromise between accuracy and feasibility of measurement. The aim of the study was to determine the level of physical activity of preschool children (aged 5–6) on the basis of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) index and the number of steps. The physical activity of preschool children was assessed using accelerometery (ActiGraph) in 371 children for up to seven days. The normality of distribution was assessed using the Shapiro–Wilk test. The Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to assess the significance of differences. The study group children had an average age of 5.4 years (± 0.6). Boys and girls showed a different level of MVPA index. The results significantly improve the current knowledge of PA in Europe. Promoting active lifestyles in children should be one of the health priorities in developed countries.

scholarly journals Play Equipment, Physical Activity Opportunities, and Children's Activity Levels at Childcare

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica S. Gubbels ◽  
Dave H. H. Van Kann ◽  
Maria W. J. Jansen
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Environment ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Physical Activity Intensity ◽  
Childcare Centers ◽  
Activity Intensity ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
Multilevel Linear Regression ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Activity Facilities

This study investigated the association between physical activity facilities at childcare (e.g., play equipment) and physical activity of 2- and 3-year olds. Observations of physical activity intensity were performed among 175 children at 9 childcare centers in The Netherlands, using the OSRAC-P. The physical activity facilities were assessed for indoors and outdoors separately, using the EPAO instrument. Regular (single-level) multivariate and multilevel linear regression analyses examined the association of the facilities and child characteristics (age and sex) with children's activity levels. Various physical activity facilities were available in all childcare centers (e.g., balls). Riding toys and a small playing area were associated with lower indoor physical activity levels. Outdoor physical activity levels were positively associated with the availability of portable jumping equipment and the presence of a structured track on the playground. Portable slides, fixed swinging equipment, and sandboxes were negatively associated with outdoor activity levels. In addition, the 3-year old children were more active outdoors than the 2-year olds. In conclusion, not all physical activity facilities at childcare were indeed positively associated with children's activity levels. The current findings provide concrete leads for childcare providers regarding which factors they can improve in the physical environment to facilitate children's physical activity.

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