UK Preschool-aged children's physical activity levels in childcare and at home: a cross-sectional exploration

卷:12

Hesketh, Kathryn R. ; Griffin, Simon J. ; van Sluijs, Esther M. F.

关键词: Physical activity;    Preschool children;    Childcare;    Home environment;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12966-015-0286-1

学科分类：食品科学和技术

【 摘 要 】

Background: Young children are thought to be inactive in childcare, but little is known about location-specific activity levels. This observational study sought to describe the in-care and out-of-care activity patterns of preschool-aged children and explore differences in physical activity level by childcare attendance. Methods: Three to four-year-old children were recruited from 30 preschool and nursery 'settings' in Cambridgeshire, UK. Average minutes per hour (min/h) spent sedentary (SED), in light physical activity (LPA) and in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) were measured by accelerometry for up to 7 days (mean: 6.7 +/- 1.1). Weekly childcare attendance patterns were reported by parents. The within-child association between childcare attendance and outcomes was assessed using two-and three-level hierarchical regression; sex by care (in/out) interactions were considered. Results: Two hundred and two children (51 % female) had valid activity data for >= 2 days. Children, and particularly boys, were less sedentary and more active when in care compared to at home (SED: Boys: beta (SE): -6.4 (0.5) min/h, Girls: -4.8 (0.5); LPA: Boys: 0.6 (0.4), Girls: 1.8 (0.4); MVPA: Boys: 5.7 (0.5); Girls: 3.0 (0.4)). Differences between in-care and at-home activity were largest in the (early) mornings and early evenings for boys; no compensation in at-home activity occurred later in the day. On days when children were in care part-time (1-5 h) or full-time (> 5 h), they were significantly less sedentary and more active compared with non-care days. Conclusions: Young children, and particularly boys, accumulate more MVPA in care compared to at home. Future research should identify factors accounting for this difference and consider targeting non-care time in intervention efforts to increase higher-intensity activity and decrease sedentary time in preschoolers.