Accelerometer-derived physical activity levels of preschoolers: a meta-analysis

Effects of a physical activity-enhanced curriculum on increasing physical activity and improving physical fitness in preschoolers: Study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial (KID-FIT study)

Objective

Physical activity (PA) is critical for healthy development in preschoolers, with long-lasting benefits that can affect later life. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that children aged 5-17 years should engage in 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA per day. However, physical inactivity in children is on the rise globally, with declines in PA starting at the age of 4 years. Increasing PA during early childhood is important to delay adiposity rebound, promote behavioral changes, improve physical fitness, and facilitate future PA engagement. However, limited evidence has been established on the effects of school-based PA interventions on preschoolers. This study examines the effects and sustainability of a preschool-based PA intervention on increasing PA, improving physical fitness and health in preschoolers, with the exercise dose benchmarked to the WHO PA guidelines.

Methods

This assessor-blinded, two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial will include 3300 preschoolers (aged 5-6 years) from 110 kindergartens in Hong Kong, China. Kindergartens will be randomized into intervention and control groups in a 1:1 ratio. The control kindergartens will continue their usual curriculum of ∼2.5 h PA/week, whereas preschoolers in the intervention kindergartens will engage in an additional 75-min game-based PA class twice per week (extra 2.5 h PA/week) over the preschool year. This multi-component intervention will also target parents, teachers, and the kindergarten environment to further encourage PA in preschoolers and their families. Objectively measured PA, cardiorespiratory fitness and other physical fitness components (muscle strength and power, agility, balance, flexibility, body composition), and psychological health will be examined at the start (0 month) and end (10 months) of the preschool year. Maintenance effects will be assessed after preschoolers' transition into primary school (16 months). Generalized estimating equations or other appropriate statistical models will be used to examine the treatment effects with adjustment for baseline values.

Study impact

This study will investigate the effects of a preschool-based PA intervention with PA dose benchmarked to the WHO recommendations on promoting PA, physical fitness, and health in preschoolers, and its sustainability after preschoolers' transition into primary education. The findings will raise public awareness on the importance of PA in young children, and will inform policy making to facilitate early childhood educational reforms to incorporate adequate PA into preschool curriculums to improve children's health in the long run.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05521490).

Validity and reliability of the movement behaviour questionnaire child in Chinese preschoolers

Background

The Movement Behaviour Questionnaire Child (MBQ-C) was developed to measure physical activity, screen time, and sleep in preschool children, but the Chinese version lacked validation.

Methods

This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the open-ended version of the MBQ-C among Chinese preschoolers. Data were collected from 892 parents of children aged 0-5 years across 10 provinces via an online questionnaire. The MBQ-C includes items on physical activity, screen time, and sleep, and was validated against device-measured physical activity using accelerometers.

Results

Internal consistency was high, with Cronbach's alpha values ranging from 0.80 to 0.88 for different sections. Test-retest reliability showed moderate intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) between 0.52 and 0.72. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated good construct validity (CFI = 0.95). Moderate significant correlations were found between MBQ-C reported physical activity and device-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (R = 0.35, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The open-ended version of the MBQ-C demonstrates good validity and reliability in assessing movement behaviours among Chinese preschoolers. This tool is effective for proxy-reported measurements and can contribute to understanding and promoting healthy movement behaviours in early childhood.

Adherence to the 24-h Movement Behaviors Guidelines and Associations With Cognitive and Behavioral Self-Regulation Among Brazilian Preschoolers

BACKGROUND

Adherence to 24-h movement guidelines has been associated with early health benefits, including neurodevelopmental outcomes. However, the associations between these guidelines and Cognitive (CSR) and Behavioral (BSR) self-regulation in preschoolers are underexplored. This study investigated the associations between adherence to 24-h movement guidelines and CSR and BSR in Brazilian preschoolers.

METHODS

A total of 223 preschoolers (4.76 ± 0.32 years old; 50.67% boys) participated. Physical activity (PA) was assessed with Actigraph wGT3X. Parents reported children's sleep and screen time. CSR was evaluated through iPad games, and BSR was assessed using the Head, Toes, Knees, Shoulders test revised.

RESULTS

Boys showed higher adherence to the PA recommendation than girls (52.2% vs. 32.7%, χ2 = 0.003), whereas a higher percentage of girls did not adhere to any recommendations (23.6% vs. 12.4%, χ2 = 0.029). Positive association was found between adherence to combined PA and screen time with cognitive flexibility (β = 4.091 [95% CI: 0.699, 7.754]). Adherence to PA was associated with lower BSR scores (β = -7.104 [-13.52, -0.623]), as was adherence to combined PA and sleep duration (β = -8.813 [-15.794, -1.397]).

CONCLUSION

This study highlighted differences in adherence to movement behavior guidelines between boys and girls, as well as demonstrated that different combinations of these behaviors can affect preschoolers' cognitive and behavioral levels of self-regulation in distinct ways.

Evaluation of indoor activities for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in preschoolers

The study objectives were 1) to determine the feasibility and acceptability of indoor activities to achieve moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in preschoolers, and 2) compare MVPA estimates between direct observation (DO) and various accelerometry placements. In this cross-sectional study, 35 preschoolers (51% female, 54% 3-year-olds) performed six, 6-minute activities (dancing to video, balloon/bubbles, stationary exergame cycling, circuits, running-in-place, and cleaning up) in sequential order, facilitated by a trained staff member. Triaxial accelerometers (Actigraph Gt3×BT) at the ankle, waist, and wrist measured MVPA using age-specific cut-points. Total activity and MVPA time were quantified via DO of video recordings. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed via parent and child report. Preschoolers contributed 4339, 15-second epochs of accelerometry and DO data (~31.0 minutes/preschooler). Preschoolers achieved MVPA ≥ 50% of the time while engaging in balloon/bubbles, cycling, and circuits; but not while dancing to video (15%), running-in-place (48.5%), or cleaning up (8%). There were no differences in MVPA by age, sex, or between screen and non-screen activities. Parents and preschoolers reported most activities were feasible (≥4.0/5.0). Waist and ankle accelerometry had strong agreement with DO (ICCs range: 0.70-0.84) while wrist had fair to low agreement (ICCs: 0.22-0.58). Multiple indoor activities show promise to increase preschoolers' MVPA.

Effects of a staff-led multicomponent physical activity intervention on preschooler's fundamental motor skills and physical fitness: The ACTNOW cluster-randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Fundamental motor skills (FMS) and physical fitness (FIT) play important roles in child development and provide a foundation for lifelong participation in physical activity (PA). Unfortunately, many children have suboptimal levels of PA, FMS, and FIT. The Active Learning Norwegian Preschool(er)s (ACTNOW) study investigated the effects of a staff-led PA intervention on FMS, FIT, and PA in 3-5-year-old children.

METHODS

Preschools in Western Norway having ≥ six 3-4-year-old children were invited (n = 56). Of these, 46 agreed to participate and were cluster-randomized into an intervention (n = 23 preschools [381 children, 3.8 yrs., 55% boys]) or a control group (n = 23 [438, 3.7 yrs., 52% boys]). Intervention preschools participated in an 18-month PA intervention involving a 7-month staff professional development between 2019 and 2022, amounting to 50 h, including face-to-face seminars, webinars, and digital lectures. Primary outcomes in ACTNOW were cognition variables, whereas this study investigated effects on secondary outcomes. FMS was measured through 9 items covering locomotor, object control, and balance skills. FIT was assessed as motor fitness (4 × 10 shuttle-run test) and upper and lower muscular strength (handgrip and standing long jump). PA was measured with accelerometers (ActiGraph GT3X +). All measures took place at baseline, 7-, and 18-month follow-up. Effects were analysed using a repeated measures linear mixed model with child and preschool as random effects and with adjustment for baseline scores.

RESULTS

Participants in the intervention preschools showed positive, significant effects for object control skills at 7 months (standardized effect size (ES) = 0.17) and locomotor skills at 18 months (ES = 0.21) relative to controls. A negative effect was found for handgrip strength (ES = -0.16) at 7 months. No effects were found for balance skills, standing long jump, or motor fitness. During preschool hours, sedentary time decreased (ES = -0.18), and light (ES = 0.14) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (ES = 0.16) increased at 7 months, whereas light PA decreased at 18 months (ES = -0.15), for intervention vs control. No effects were found for other intensities or full day PA.

CONCLUSIONS

The ACTNOW intervention improved some FMS outcomes and increased PA short-term. Further research is needed to investigate how to improve effectiveness of staff-led PA interventions and achieve sustainable improvements in children's PA, FMS, and FIT.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT04048967 , registered August 7, 2019.

FUNDING

ACTNOW was supported by the Research Council of Norway (grant number 287903), the County Governor of Sogn og Fjordane, the Sparebanken Sogn og Fjordane Foundation, and the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences.

Compliance with the 24-h movement behaviors guidelines among urban and rural Brazilian preschoolers

BACKGROUND

The importance of movement behaviors for health is well-known, although few studies have examined the compliance with movement guidelines in preschoolers from different living contexts. This study reported the compliance with the 24-h movement behaviors guidelines among low-income Brazilian preschoolers from rural and urban areas, according to age.

METHODS

A total of 453 preschoolers (n = 222 urban), aged between 3 and 5 years, provided physical activity (PA) data (Actigraph wGT3X). Sleep duration, and screen time were parent-reported. Preschoolers were classified as compliant/non- compliant with the 24-h movement guidelines, according to age. The association between prevalence of compliance with the recommendations and the children's living setting were estimated (SPSS; 27.0).

RESULTS

Preschoolers were active (mean = 299.19 ± 76.42; and 369.76 ± 95.56 min/day in urban and rural areas, respectively), though moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) time was below the 60 daily minutes recommended in both urban and rural settings (mean = 38.39 ± 21.36; and 47.32 ± 24.28, respectively). None of the urban children complied with the three recommendations simultaneously, while in the rural area, only 2.6% were compliant. Single movement behaviors compliances in the urban setting were 6.8%, 28.8% and 5.4% for PA, sleep, and screen time, respectively; while for rural settings were 16.5%, 21.2%, and 7.4%. Living in the rural area was related to the compliance with PA recommendation for the 5-year-old preschoolers.

CONCLUSION

In both urban and rural Brazilian areas, very few preschoolers are compliant with the guidelines, and more than one third of the children do not comply with any of the recommendations. Strategies and programs to promote compliance with movement behaviors guidelines should consider children's living setting and their age groups.

Calibration and validation of physical behaviour cut-points using wrist-worn ActiGraphs for children and adolescents: A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To review cut-points calibrated and independently validated from wrist-worn ActiGraph accelerometers to measure moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and time spent sedentary (SED) in children and adolescents.

DESIGN

Systematic literature review.

METHODS

Five databases were searched for relevant cut-point calibration and independent validation studies relating to wrist worn ActiGraphs in children and adolescents from inception through 30 April 2022. Extracted data included: country of publication; study name; population; device model; wear location; sampling frequency; epoch length; activity protocol; criterion method and definitions used to classify PA intensity; statistical methods for calibration; statistical methods for validation/cross-validation; and MVPA and SED outcome.

RESULTS

Fourteen calibration studies and seven independent validation studies were identified. Calibrated cut-points for MVPA vector magnitude counts ranged from 7065 to 9204 counts per minute (cpm) and 63.5 to 201 milli-gravitational units (mg). For SED, calibrated cut-points ranged from <2556 cpm to 4350 cpm and 30.8 to 48.1 mg. Classification accuracy values determined by independent validation studies varied, with kappa values ranging from 0.31 to 0.60 and area under the curve statistics ranging from 0.51 to 0.84 for MVPA and kappa values ranging from 0.31 to 0.44 and area under the curve statistics ranging from 0.70 to 0.85 for SED.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this systematic literature review support the use of the Crouter and colleagues cut-points for the measurement of MVPA and SED for children and adolescents aged 6-12 years. Further work is required to independently validate cut-points developed in younger children and older adolescents.

Google effects on memory: a meta-analytical review of the media effects of intensive Internet search behavior

People are increasingly using the web for fact-checking and other forms of information seeking. The "Google effects" refers to the idea that individuals rely on the Internet as a source of knowledge rather than remembering it for themselves. However, few literature review have yet comprehensively examined the media effects of this intensive Internet search behavior. In this study, by carrying out meta-analysis, we found that google effects is closely associated with cognitive load, behavioral phenotype and cognitive self-esteem. And this phenomenon is also more likely to happen while using a mobile phone to browse the Internet rather than a computer. People with a larger knowledge base are less susceptible to the consequences of Internet use than those with a smaller knowledge base. The media effect was stronger for persons who had used the Internet before than for those who had not. And meta-analyses show that participants in North America (parameter = -1.0365, 95%CI = [-1.8758, -0.1972], p < 0.05) are more susceptible to frequent Internet search behavior relative to other regions. Overall, google effects on memory challenges the way individuals seek and read information, and it may lead to changes in cognitive and memory mechanisms.

Acoustic accelerometer transmitters and their growing relevance to aquatic science

There has recently been great interest in the use of accelerometers onboard electronic transmitters to characterise various aspects of the ecology of wild animals. We review use cases and outline how these tools can provide opportunities for studying activity and survival, exercise physiology of wild animals, the response to stressors, energy landscapes and conservation planning tools, and the means with which to identify behaviours remotely from transmitted data. Accelerometer transmitters typically send data summaries to receivers at fixed intervals after filtering out static acceleration and calculating root-mean square error or overall dynamic body action of 2- or 3-axis acceleration values (often at 5-12.5 Hz) from dynamic acceleration onboard the tag. Despite the popularity of these transmitters among aquatic ecologists, we note that there is wide variation in the sampling frequencies and windows used among studies that will potentially affect the ability to make comparisons in the future. Accelerometer transmitters will likely become increasingly popular tools for studying finer scale details about cryptic species that are difficult to recapture and hence not suitable for studies using data loggers. We anticipate that there will continue to be opportunities to adopt methods used for analysing data from loggers to datasets generated from acceleration transmitters, to generate new knowledge about the ecology of aquatic animals.

Multivariate physical activity association patterns for fundamental motor skills and physical fitness in preschool children aged 3-5 years

Physical activity (PA) is important for children's development of fundamental motor skills (FMS) and physical fitness (FIT) but evidence regarding which intensities are associated with these outcomes in early childhood is limited. The aim of this study was to determine the cross-sectional multivariate PA intensity signatures associated with FMS and FIT in children aged 3-5 years. We used a sample of 952 Norwegian preschoolers (4.3 years, 51% boys) who provided data on PA (ActiGraph GT3X+), at least one FMS (locomotor, object control and/or balance skills) or FIT (speed agility, standing long jump, and/or handgrip strength) outcome, body mass index, and socioeconomic status in 2019-2020. We created 17 PA intensity variables (0-99 to ≥15000 counts per minute) from the vertical axis and used multivariate pattern analysis for analyses. The PA intensity spectrum (including sedentary time) was significantly associated with all outcomes. Associations for PA intensities were positive (negative for sedentary time), strongest for moderate and vigorous intensities, and were significant across sex and age groups. Our findings show that the PA intensity spectrum is associated with FMS and FIT in young children and that promotion of PA, in particular moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity, from an early age benefits children's physical development.

Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Adults from Penafiel, Portugal: A Cross-Sectional Study

The aim of this study was to compare the physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) levels of young and middle-aged adults living in and around the municipality of Penafiel and to determine whether they meet PA recommendations. The researchers used the "International Physical Activity Questionnaire" (IPAQ) to measure moderate to vigorous PA and time spent on sedentary behavior (high vs. low). A prospective observational cross-sectional sample of 1105 adults aged 18-63 years, living in the municipality of Penafiel and its surroundings (45% women, 55% men), was used. The results indicated that more than half of the population was inactive (53.8%) and sedentary (54.0%). Men were more likely to be sedentary (59.2%) and inactive (55.6%) than women (inactive: 51.7%, high SB: 47.7%). Regarding daily PA and SB levels, women had higher levels of walks (3.8 ± 2.3; p = 0.034) and vigorous PA (2.2 ± 1.8 min; p = 0.005) per days/week, as well as vigorous PA per minutes/week (75.4 ± 82.1 min; p = 0.034). The time spent on vigorous PA per day was also higher in women (26.2 ± 22.8 min; p = 0.030). However, men had higher values in walking minutes per day (26.3 ± 17.1 min; p = 0.030), SB for weekdays (429.2 ± 141.2 min; p = 0.001), SB for weekends (324.7 ± 163.7 min; p = 0.033) and time spent on SB per minutes/week (2795.6 ± 882.0 min; p = 0.001). The results also showed that the older the adults, the lower the frequency and total time of vigorous PA per week. Young adults (18-28 years) had higher levels of vigorous PA (p = 0.005) than the other age groups (29-39; 40-50 and 51-63 years). Finally, the study found no significant correlation between individual level factors, such as number of children, marital status and monthly income, and PA or SB. Conversely, a significant and negative correlation between SB and levels of PA was found, indicating that the higher the level of PA practice, the lower the SB level. The authors suggest that promoting new PA habits and healthy lifestyles is an important future challenge for sustainability and improving the quality of life in public health.

Adherence to the World Health Organization's physical activity recommendation in preschool-aged children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of accelerometer studies

BACKGROUND

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommend that preschool-aged children should engage in 180 min of total physical activity (TPA) including 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) each day. No systematic reviews or meta-analyses have pooled adherence to the recommendation across multiple studies. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of preschool-aged children achieving the WHO's physical activity recommendation for young children, and determine if the prevalence differed between boys and girls.

METHODS

Primary literature searches were conducted on six online databases and a machine learning assisted systematic review was used to identify relevant studies. Studies written in English reporting on the prevalence of children aged 3-5 years achieving overall WHO physical activity recommendation or the individual TPA or MVPA aspects of the recommendation measured using accelerometers were eligible for inclusion. Random effects meta-analysis was used to determine the prevalence of preschools achieving the overall WHO recommendation and the individual TPA and MVPA aspect of the recommendation, and to determine difference in prevalence between boys and girls.

RESULTS

Forty-eight studies reporting on 20,078 preschool-aged children met the inclusion criteria. Based on the most commonly employed accelerometer cut-points across all aspects of the recommendation, 60% (95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 37%, 79%) of preschool-aged children adhered to the overall physical activity recommendation, 78% (95% CI = 38%, 95%) adhered to the TPA aspect of the recommendation, and 90% (95% CI = 81%, 95%) adhered to the MVPA aspect of the recommendation. There was substantial variability is prevalence estimates between different accelerometer cut-points. Girls were significantly less likely to achieve the overall recommendation and the MVPA aspect of the recommendation than boys were.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there was substantial variability in estimated prevalence of preschool-aged children adhering the WHO physical activity recommendation between various accelerometer cut-points, the weight of available evidence suggests that the majority of young children are adhering to the overall recommendation and the individual TPA and MVPA aspects of the recommendation. Large-scale, intercontinental surveillance studies are needed to further strengthen the evidence regarding the prevalence of preschool-aged children achieving physical activity recommendation globally.

Secular trends in physical activity in adolescents: A systematic review

Objective

One in five adolescents has been estimated to perform sufficient physical activity (PA), thus potentially indicating that PA among adolescents has declined. This systematic review was aimed at reporting and summarizing the available knowledge regarding PA secular trends in adolescents over time.

Methods

Seven databases were consulted (Web of Science, Scopus/Elsevier, Medline/PubMed, ScienceDirect, Lilacs, Physical Education Index, and SPORTDiscus), and 1809 studies were examined. According to the PRISMA guidelines, relevant research on secular PA trends in adolescents was screened for inclusion in a narrative synthesis. The risk of bias in the articles included was also assessed.

Results

Forty-three studies with data collected between 1969 and 2018 met the inclusion criteria, and data from high-income countries predominated. PA was estimated predominantly by self-reporting, except in seven studies, and diverse contexts and domains were analyzed. Increased PA was reported in 16 studies (from 2.9% to 43.5%), decreased PA was reported in 15 studies (-2.5% to -69.5%), and no change was reported in 22 studies (-12.0% to 14.4%).

Conclusions

Although PA has increased in some countries, very little information is available in low- and middle-income countries. Efforts should support studies on PA trends in adolescents from economically disadvantaged countries.

Assessing Physical Activity Levels among Chinese College Students by BMI, HR, and Multi-Sensor Activity Monitors

We investigated the use of multi-sensor physical activity monitors, body mass index (BMI), and heart rate (HR) to measure energy expenditure (EE) of various physical activity levels among Chinese collegiate students, compared with portable indirect calorimetry.

METHODS

In a laboratory experiment, 100 college students, 18-25 years old, wore the SenseWear Pro3 Armband™ (SWA; BodyMedia, Inc., Pittsburg, PA, USA) and performed 7 different physical activities. EE was measured by indirect calorimetry, while body motion and accelerations were measured with an SWA accelerometer. Special attention was paid to the analysis of unidirectional and three-directional accelerometer output.

RESULTS

Seven physical activities were recorded and distinguished by SWA, and different physical activities demonstrated different data features. The mean values of acceleration ACz (longitudinal accel point, axis Z) and VM (vector magnitude) were significantly different (p = 0.000, p < 0.05) for different physical activities, whereas no significant difference was found in one single physical activity with varied speeds (p = 0.9486, p > 0.05). When all physical activities were included in a correlation regression analysis, a strong linear correlation between the EE and accelerometer reporting value was found. According to the correlation analysis, sex, BMI, HR, ACz, and VM were independent variables, and the EE algorithm model demonstrated a high correlation coefficient R² value of 0.7.

CONCLUSIONS

The predictive energy consumption model of physical activity based on multi-sensor physical activity monitors, BMI, and HR demonstrated high accuracy and can be applied to daily physical activity monitoring among Chinese collegiate students.

Randomized controlled trial evaluating a virtual parenting intervention for young children at risk of obesity: study protocol for Parenting Addressing Early Years Intervention with Coaching Visits in Toronto (PARENT) trial

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of overweight (15%) and obesity (6%) in children under 5 years of age in Canada are high, and young children with overweight and obesity are at increased risk of the development of chronic disease(s) in adulthood. Prior research has demonstrated very few published trials on effective obesity prevention interventions in young children at risk of obesity, within primary healthcare settings. The aim of this study is to determine if 18-48-month-old children at risk for obesity, who are randomized to receive the Parents Together program (i.e., intervention group), have reduced body mass index z-score (zBMI), compared to those not receiving the intervention, at a 12-month follow-up. Secondary clinical outcomes between the intervention and control groups will be compared at 12 months.

METHODS

A pragmatic, parallel group, 1:1, superiority, randomized control trial (RCT) through the TARGetKids! Practice Based Research Network will be conducted. Young children (ages 18-48 months) who are at increased risk for childhood obesity will be invited to participate. Parents who are enrolled in the intervention group will participate in eight weekly group sessions and 4-5 coaching visits, facilitated by a trained public health nurse. Children and parents who are enrolled in the control group will receive the usual health care. The primary outcome will be compared between intervention arms using an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Feasibility and acceptability will be assessed by parent focus groups and interviews, and fidelity to the intervention will be measured using nurse-completed checklists. A cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) will be conducted.

DISCUSSION

This study will aim to reflect the social, cultural, and geographic diversity of children in primary care in Toronto, Ontario, represented by an innovative collaboration among applied child health researchers, community health researchers, and primary care providers (i.e., pediatricians and family physicians in three different models of primary care). Clinical and implementation outcomes will be used to inform future research to test this intervention in a larger number, and diverse practices across diverse geographic settings in Ontario.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03219697. Registered on June 27, 2017.

Prospective Association Patterns for the Physical Activity Intensity Spectrum With Body Mass Index and Lower Body Muscle Strength in Norwegian Children Aged 3-9 Years

BACKGROUND

Limited evidence exists regarding prospective associations for physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (SED) with body mass index (BMI) and muscle strength in young children. We aimed to determine prospective associations for PA and SED with change in BMI and standing long jump over 2 and 4 years in children aged 3-5 years at baseline.

METHODS

A sample of 262 Norwegian children (50% girls) was followed from 2015 to 2017 and/or 2019. PA and SED (hip-worn ActiGraph GT3X+) were measured at baseline and BMI and standing long jump at baseline and at follow-ups. Multivariate pattern analysis was used to determine prospective associations between the triaxial PA intensity spectrum (0-99 to ≥15,000 counts per minute) and the change in outcomes.

RESULTS

We found significant prospective associations between the PA intensity spectrum and standing long jump at 2- (explained variance = 5.8%-7.7%) and 4-year (explained variance = 4.8%-5.6%) follow-ups. Associations were negative for SED and positive for all PA intensities. We found no associations between PA/SED and BMI.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that PA and SED can predict future lower body muscle strength but not BMI in early childhood.

Accuracy of steps measured by smartphones-based WeRun compared with ActiGraph-GT3X accelerometer in free-living conditions

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of steps tracked by smartphone-based WeChat app compared with Actigraph-GT3X accelerometer in free-living conditions.

Design

A cross-sectional study and repeated measures.

Methods

A total of 103 employees in the Pudong New Area of Shanghai, China, participated in this study. The participants wore an ActiGraph-GT3X accelerometer during the period of August to September 2019 (Time 1), December 2019 (Time 2) and September 2020 (Time 3). Each time, they wore the ActiGraph-GT3X accelerometer continuously for 7 days to assess their 7-day step counts. The smartphone-based WeRun step counts were collected in the corresponding period when subjects wore accelerometers. The subjects were invited to complete basic demographic characteristics questionnaires and to perform physical examination to obtain health-related results such as height, body weight, body fat percentage, waist circumference, hip circumference, and blood pressure.

Results

Based on 103 participants' 21 days of data, we found that the Spearman correlation coefficient between them was 0.733 (P < 0.01). The average number of WeRun steps measured by smartphones was 8,975 (4,059) per day, which was higher than those measured by accelerometers (8,462 ± 3,486 per day, P < 0.01). Demographic characteristics and different conditions can affect the consistency of measurements. The consistency was higher in those who were male, older, master's degree and above educated, and traveled by walking. Steps measured by smartphone and accelerometer in working days and August showed stronger correlation than other working conditions and time. Mean absolute percent error (MAPE) for step counts ranged from 0.5 to 15.9%. The test-retest reliability coefficients of WeRun steps ranged from 0.392 to 0.646. A multiple regression analysis adjusted for age, gender, and MVPA/step counts measured during Time 1 showed that body composition (body weight, BMI, body fat percentage, waist circumference, and hip circumference) was correlated with moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity, but it was not correlated with WeRun step counts.

Conclusions

The smartphone-based WeChat app can be used to assess physical activity step counts and is a reliable tool for measuring steps in free-living conditions. However, WeRun step counts' utilization is potentially limited in predicting body composition.

Mixed-Methods Systematic Review to Identify Facilitators and Barriers for Parents/Carers to Engage Pre-School Children in Community-Based Opportunities to Be Physically Active

Background: Low physical activity levels in young children is a major concern. For children aged 0-5 years, engagement with opportunities to be physically active are often driven by the adults responsible for the child's care. This systematic review explores the barriers and facilitators to parents/caregivers engaging pre-school children in community-based opportunities for physical activity, within real-world settings, or as part of an intervention study. Methods: EBSCOhost Medline, CINHAL plus, EBSCOhost SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, ProQuest, and ASSIA were systematically searched for quantitative and qualitative studies published in English between 2015 and 16 May 2022. Data extracted from 16 articles (485 parents/carers; four countries) were quality-assessed using the Mixed Methods Assessment Tool and coded and themed via thematic analysis. Results: Nine themes (eight core, one minor) were identified and conceptualised into a socio-ecological model, illustrating factors over four levels: Individual-beliefs and knowledge (and parental parameters); Interpersonal-social benefits, social network, and family dynamic; Community-organisational factors and affordability; and Built and Physical Environment-infrastructure. Discussion: The findings provide valuable insights for practitioners and policy makers who commission, design, and deliver community-based physical activity opportunities for pre-school children. Developing strategies and opportunities that seek to address the barriers identified, as well as build on the facilitators highlighted by parents, particularly factors related to infrastructure and affordability, are imperative for physical activity promotion in pre-school children. The perspectives of fathers, socioeconomic and geographical differences, and the importance parents place on physical activity promotion all need to be explored further.

Nitrogen fertilization weakens the linkage between soil carbon and microbial diversity: A global meta-analysis

Soil microbes make up a significant portion of the genetic diversity and play a critical role in belowground carbon (C) cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Soil microbial diversity and organic C are often tightly coupled in C cycling processes; however, this coupling can be weakened or broken by rapid global change. A global meta-analysis was performed with 1148 paired comparisons extracted from 229 articles published between January 1998 and December 2021 to determine how nitrogen (N) fertilization affects the relationship between soil C content and microbial diversity in terrestrial ecosystems. We found that N fertilization decreased soil bacterial (-11%) and fungal diversity (-17%), but increased soil organic C (SOC) (+19%), microbial biomass C (MBC) (+17%), and dissolved organic C (DOC) (+25%) across different ecosystems. Organic N (urea) fertilization had a greater effect on SOC, MBC, DOC, and bacterial and fungal diversity than inorganic N fertilization. Most importantly, soil microbial diversity decreased with increasing SOC, MBC, and DOC, and the absolute values of the correlation coefficients decreased with increasing N fertilization rate and duration, suggesting that N fertilization weakened the linkage between soil C and microbial diversity. The weakened linkage might negatively impact essential ecosystem services under high rates of N fertilization; this understanding is important for mitigating the negative impact of global N enrichment on soil C cycling.

Examining Relationships among Chinese Preschool Children's Meeting 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and Fundamental Movement Skills

Background: Few studies have investigated associations between meeting 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and preschool children’s fundamental movement skills (FMS). This study aimed to investigate the associations between Chinese preschoolers meeting various combinations of the Guidelines and FMS, as well as examining gender differences across those outcomes. Methods: A total of 322 preschool children (181 boys and 141 girls) aged 3−6 years old were recruited from five early-childhood education and care services in China. Children’s 7-day physical activity (PA) was assessed using accelerometry, and screen time (ST) and sleep duration were reported by their parents. FMS were assessed by Test of Gross Motor Development 3. Descriptive statistics and gender differences in children’s meeting the Guidelines and FMS were calculated using t-tests for continuous variables and Chi-square tests for categorical variables. Results: Most preschoolers met the sleep and ST guidelines, but only 22.3% met the PA guidelines; 4% of preschoolers did not meet any of the recommendations, while 9.3% met all three recommendations. Boys reported significantly higher compliance with all combined recommendations. There were positive associations between meeting the PA guidelines and both locomotor (β = 0.49; p < 0.001) and object control skills (β = 0.21; p < 0.001). A significantly positive relationship was identified between meeting PA + sleep guidelines and locomotor skills (β = −0.16; p = 0.02). A significantly negative association was observed between preschoolers’ meeting sleep + ST guidelines and locomotor skills (β = 0.31; p = 0.001). Conclusion: Few preschoolers met all three movement behavior guidelines. The findings suggest that PA levels, especially MVPA, are important for the promotion of FMS. Meanwhile, the impacts of ST and sleep on motor development cannot be neglected.

Trajectories of physical activity and sedentary time in Norwegian children aged 3-9 years: a 5-year longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Limited evidence exists regarding the longitudinal development of physical activity during early to mid childhood. The aim of this study was to determine physical activity and sedentary time trajectories in children aged 3‒9 years from Western Norway.

METHODS

A sample of 294 children (51% boys; aged 3‒5 years at baseline) from the Sogn og Fjordane Preschool Physical Activity Study was followed annually over 5 years (2015‒2019). Physical activity was measured every autumn during this period using hip-based accelerometry (ActiGraph GT3X+). Data was processed as counts. We used linear mixed models to analyse the data. Primary analyses included trajectories for total and intensity-specific physical activity (light, moderate, vigorous, and moderate to vigorous intensity) and sedentary time for boys and girls using 1-s epoch. Secondary analyses included trajectories for weekdays versus weekend days, preschool/school hours versus after school hours, and 1- versus 60-s epoch lengths.

RESULTS

Over the total day, significant associations with age were found for boys and girls for all physical activity intensities and sedentary time (p < .001). Total physical activity peaked at age 5, whereas intensity-specific physical activity levels peaked at age 3 to 8 years (light intensity: 3-4 years; moderate intensity: 4-7 years; vigorous intensity: 7-8 years; moderate to vigorous intensity: 5-8 years). Boys had higher physical activity levels and more favourable trajectories than girls. Sedentary time increased from ages 3 to 9. Changes over time were larger for weekdays than for weekend days and larger for preschool/school hours than for after school hours. The use of a 60-s epoch resulted in larger changes over time than a 1-s epoch.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest physical activity levels peaked between the ages of 3 and 8 years. Finding ways to prevent decline in physical activity during the transition from preschool to primary school is important, especially for girls. Standardising epoch length will help when comparing physical activity and sedentary behaviour across studies.

A multi-component tailored intervention in family childcare homes improves diet quality and sedentary behavior of preschool children compared to an attention control: results from the Healthy Start-Comienzos Sanos cluster randomized trial

BACKGROUND

Childcare settings are important environments for influencing child eating and physical activity (PA). Family childcare homes (FCCH) care for many children of low-income and diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds who are at greater risk for poor diet quality, low PA, and obesity, but few interventions have targeted this setting. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a multicomponent intervention conducted in FCCH on the diet quality and PA of 2-5 year old children in their care.

TRIAL DESIGN

Cluster randomized trial.

METHODS

The cluster-randomized trial, Healthy Start/Comienzos Sanos (2015-2019) evaluated an 8-month nutrition and PA intervention that included four components: (1) monthly telephone calls from a support coach using brief motivational interviewing, (2) tailored reports, newsletters and videos, (3) group support meetings, and (4) active play toys. After completing baseline measurement, FCCH were randomized into intervention or comparison groups in matched pairs. Both groups received the same intervention components but on different topics (intervention: nutrition/PA vs. comparison: reading readiness/literacy). Evaluation staff were blinded to group assignment. Child primary outcome measures collected at baseline and 8-months included: 1) Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2015) scores calculated from diet observation, and 2) accelerometer measurement of PA. Process measures were collected from field data and provider surveys. Generalized Estimating Equation Models assessed changes in HEI-2015 scores and PA over time by experimental condition.

RESULTS

Ethnically diverse FCCH providers (n = 119) and 2-to-5-year-old children in their care (n = 377) were included in the final analysis. Process evaluation showed high participation in all intervention components except for group meetings. Compared to children in comparison group FCCH, children in intervention FCCH increased total HEI-2015 scores by 7.2 points (p < .001) including improvement in component scores for vegetables (0.84 points, p = .025) and added sugar (0.94 points, p = .025). For PA, compared to children in the comparison group, children in intervention FCCH decreased sedentary time by 5.7% (p = .021).

CONCLUSIONS

The multicomponent Healthy Start intervention was effective in improving diet quality and sedentary behavior of children in FCCH, which demonstrates the promise of obesity prevention interventions in this setting. Future research could include enhancing the Healthy Start intervention to strengthen the PA component, considering virtual peer support, and determining how to best translate and disseminate the intervention into FCCH nationally.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

National Institutes of Health, NCT02452645 . Registered 5 May 2015.

Changes of Self-Rated Health Status, Overweight and Physical Activity During Childhood and Adolescence-The Ratchet Effect of High Parental Socioeconomic Status

Childhood and adolescence are important life periods for the development of health status and physical activity (PA) behaviours. This study analyses the stability and potential changes of self-rated health status, overweight and PA behaviour over time, specifically focusing on the age and the socioeconomic status of children and adolescents. We employ representative longitudinal data for German children and adolescents from the Motorik-Modul Study and the German Health Interview and Examination Survey. Using four different dichotomous health status and PA indicators (self-rated health status [SRHS]; overweight; moderate-to-vigorous PA; and leisure sports engagement), we report within-person transition rates across the panel waves when the survey was taken (2003-2006, 2009-2012, and 2014-2017). Additionally, we report results of logistic regressions estimating the impact of children's age, gender, migration background, and their parents' socioeconomic status on these transition rates. The transition rates show mixed results. While children and adolescents from highly problematic states reporting bad SRHS and no leisure sports engagement at an early stage tend to improve later on, overweight children mostly stay overweight. Age and social inequality indicators correlate with some of the chances of improving or worsening the health and PA states. Most clearly, high parental status prevents the health status and PA from worsening over all transitions, particularly becoming overweight, representing a ratchet effect. The results of the present study underline that health policy needs to target specific groups to reduce social inequality in the health status and PA of children and adolescents.

Evaluation of a Proposal for Movement Integration in the Teaching-Learning Process in Early Childhood Education

Physical activity is essential to child development, but studies show that children are increasingly inactive. Due to schools being considered privileged environments to promote physical activity, the aim of this study was to increase the physical activity performed by early childhood education children during the school day by integrating movement into academic content and analyze this process. The amount and intensity of physical activity performed by a group of 24 3-4-year-old children in three different weeks were measured by accelerometry: one week with the methodology they had been following (week 1); and two weeks in which movement was integrated into the content through a specific proposal (week 2) and the same improved proposal (week 3). The results reveal that the application of a movement integration program not only allowed students to work on academic content in a physically active way, but also significantly increased the amount of physical activity that children performed during the school day. However, it was necessary to carry out several interventions the same day, or make movement integration the reference methodology, to meet the minimum recommended physical activity levels. In addition, to increase their effectiveness, interventions should be continually reviewed and improved to increase the motor engagement time.

Movement behaviors in short versus adequate nocturnal sleepers: A compositional analysis of preschoolers

BACKGROUND

Accruing adequate daily amounts of time spent on movement behaviors (physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), and sleep) in childhood has been associated with positive short and long-term health outcomes. Nonetheless, how waking time is distributed across PA and SB among preschoolers who are short and adequate sleepers at night is unknown.

AIM

This study investigated: (1) if there are differences in a movement behaviors composition among adequate and short nocturnal sleepers; and (2) the association between preschoolers' time spent in PA, SB, and sleep among adequate and short nocturnal sleepers.

METHODS

A total of 270 preschoolers (132 boys; 3.97 ± 0.81 years old; 15.48 ± 1.62 kg/m² ) participated in this study. PA and SB were assessed using accelerometry (model wGT3X). Sleep duration was assessed through a parental-proxy interview, and preschoolers were stratified as short and adequate sleepers, according to attendance to international sleep duration guidelines. Compositional data analysis was used to explore the time-use patterns of behaviors among adequate and short sleepers.

RESULTS

Short sleepers spent 64 min less time asleep, accumulated 32 min in more sedentary time (p = .005, Cohen's d = 0.36, Bayes Factor: 6.17), and 24 min more in light PA (p = .0005, Cohen's d = 0.44, Bayes Factor: 46.37) compared to adequate sleepers.

CONCLUSIONS

Being a short sleeper was associated with greater time spent in SB and light PA during their waking hours. The health implications of movement behaviors composition among short sleep preschoolers should be further investigated.

Temporal Trends in Children's School Day Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Regression Analysis

BACKGROUND

Evidence from a limited sample of countries indicates that time for physical education and recess during school have declined. Schools are called to provide children with 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). This systematic review and meta-analysis estimated temporal trends in children's school day MVPA.

METHODS

Three online databases were searched to identify studies with objectively measured MVPA, during school hours, in school aged children (5-18 y). Multilevel random-effects meta-analyses estimated MVPA by year, and meta-regression analyses estimated temporal trends in school day MVPA.

RESULTS

Studies (N = 65) providing 171 MVPA estimates, representing 60,779 unique children, from 32 countries, and spanning 2003-2019 were identified. Most studies were conducted in North America (n = 33) or Europe (n = 21). School day MVPA ranged from 18.1 (95% confidence interval, 15.1-21.1) to 47.1 (95% confidence interval, 39.4-54.8) minutes per day in any given year. Meta-regression analyses indicated that MVPA declined from 2003 to 2010 (approximately 15 min decline), plateaued from 2010 to 2015 (approximately 1 min decrease), and increased from 2015 to 2019 (approximately 5 min increase).

CONCLUSIONS

School day MVPA decreased from 2003 to 2010 and has recently begun to increase. However, the majority of the evidence is from North America and Europe with some evidence from Oceania and very little evidence from Asia to South America.

Insufficient Physical Fitness and Deficits in Basic Eating Habits in Normal-Weight Obese Children Are Apparent from Pre-School Age or Sooner

Normal-weight obesity appears to be an extended diagnosis/syndrome associated with insufficient physical fitness levels and inadequate eating habits at least from school years. However, its relation to long term health parameters in pre-school children remains unknown, even though pre-school age is crucial for the determining healthy lifelong habits. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to investigate the differences in physical fitness level and basic eating habits between normal-weight obese, normal-weight non-obese, and overweight and obese preschoolers. The research sample consisted of 188 preschoolers aged 4.0–6.9 years (M_age = 5.52 ± 0.8 year), normal-weight obese = 25; normal-weight non-obese = 143, overweight and obese = 20. Body composition was measured using bio-impedance InBody230. Six tests assessed the physical fitness level: sit-ups; standing long jump; shuttle running 4 × 5 meters; throwing with a tennis ball; multistage fitness tests; sit and reach. A four-item eating habits questionnaire for parents focusing on breakfast regularity, consumption of sweet foods and drinks, selection of food and attitude towards eating was used. A non-parametric analysis of variance and Fisher’s exact test along with suitable effect sizes were used for data processing of physical fitness tests and the basic eating habits questionnaire, respectively. Normal-weight obese children performed significantly worse (from p = 0.03 to p < 0.001, ES ω2-G = low to medium) in muscular fitness, cardiorespiratory fitness and running agility compared to normal-weight non-obese counterparts and did not significantly differ in the majority of physical fitness performance tests from overweight and obese peers. In basic eating habits, normal-weight obese boys preferred significantly more sweet foods and drinks (p = 0.003 ES = 0.35, large), while normal-weight obese girls had significantly more negative attitude towards eating (p = 0.002 ES = 0.33, large) in comparison to their normal-weight non-obese peers. Normal-weight obesity seems to develop from early childhood and is associated with low physical fitness and deficits in eating habits which might inhibit the natural necessity for physically active life from pre-school age or sooner.

The role of weather conditions on time spent outdoors and in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among Norwegian preschoolers

The aim of this study was to determine associations between weather and playground surface conditions and time spent outdoors and in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) in preschool children aged 3-6 years. We included 1201 children (mean age 4.8 years, 51% boys) from 68 preschools in Norway who provided 12,030 days of observation during 2015-2016. Preschool MVPA was measured by accelerometry (ActiGraph GT3X+) for 10 consecutive weekdays. During this period, outdoor time and playground surface conditions were logged by staff and weather conditions were obtained from the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. Associations were determined using linear mixed models. Associations for MVPA depended on whether the analyses were adjusted for outdoor time or not. In unadjusted analyses, rainfall, wind, and wet, icy, and mixed playground conditions were negatively associated with MVPA, while temperature, snowfall, and dry playground conditions were positively associated with MVPA. In adjusted analyses, temperature and wet and mixed playground conditions were negatively associated with MVPA, while snowfall and dry and snowy playground conditions were positively associated with MVPA. Outdoor time and MVPA should be addressed simultaneously to inform interpretation of associations with weather characteristics and intervention development in early childhood education settings.

A Network Perspective on the Relationship Between Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity and Fundamental Motor Skills in Early Childhood

BACKGROUND

The relationship between moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and fundamental motor skill (FMS) is inconsistent in early childhood, due to its complex and nonlinear characteristics. This study aimed to analyze the nonlinear relationships between MVPA, FMS, body mass index (BMI), sex, and age in preschoolers.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study with preschoolers (n = 204; 4.0 [0.8] y old; 99 boys), provided objective physical activity data, FMS assessments, and BMI. The associations between MVPA, FMS, BMI, sex, and age were explored using the network analysis (RStudio and qgraph).

RESULTS

Boys were more motor competent than girls in all FMS skills, while girls were more active than boys during the weekend. Older children were less active than their younger peers during these days. MVPA is weak and differently related to each FMS, and the leap skill emerged with the highest betweenness and strength values in the network.

CONCLUSIONS

For the assessed preschoolers, when considering BMI, age, and sex, the relationships between MVPA and FMS are inconsistent, and leap emerged as the main variable. During early childhood, these variables are connected as part of a complex system in which each skill has a dynamic role within the emerging pattern.

School-Time Movement Behaviors and Fundamental Movement Skills in Preschoolers: An Isotemporal Reallocation Analysis

Little is known of how reallocations of time spent in different movement behaviors during preschool might relate to preschoolers' fundamental movement skills (FMS), a key predictor of later physical activity (PA). Thus, the aim of this study was to examine (a) whether preschoolers' school-time movement was associated with their FMS and (b) the effects on FMS of reallocating time between PA and sedentary behavior (SB). This was a cross-sectional study, using intervention data with Brazilian low-income preschoolers. We observed Brazilian preschoolers of both sexes (M_age = 4.5, SD = 0.8 years-old; 101boys) over 10 hours of school-time and objectively assessed their PA and SB with Actigraph wGT3X and their FMS with the Test of Gross Motor Development - Second Edition. We explored the associations between school-time movement behaviors and FMS and between reallocated school-time movement behaviors and FES using compositional analysis in R (version 1.40-1), robCompositions (version 0.92-7), and lmtest (version 0.9-35) packages. This isotemporal reallocation showed that, for manipulative skills, reallocating time (5, 10, and 15 minutes, respectively) from light PA to SB was associated with increasing skill (0.14, 0.28, and 0.42 FMS units), raising questions as to whether fine motor activity occurred during SB. Thus, school-time movement significantly predicted FMS, with a modest increase in SB, at the expense of light PA eliciting improved manipulative skills.

The combination of three movement behaviours is associated with object control skills, but not locomotor skills, in preschoolers

The objective of this study is to analyze the association between combinations of adherence to movement behaviour recommendations and fundamental movement skills (FMS) in preschoolers. This is a cross-sectional study. Participants of the study were 212 preschool children (M = 3.97 years old; 51.4% male), who provided objectively assessed physical activity (PA) data (Actigraph wGT3X), and completed FMS assessments (TGMD-2). Sleep time and screen time were parent-reported through face-to-face interview. Associations between the combination of two or three movement behaviours and FMS were analyzed using structural equation modeling (Mplus; 8.0; p < 0.05). Positive and significant associations were found between adherence to screen + sleep recommendations and locomotor skills (β = 0.23; p = 0.027); and between adherence to PA + screen + sleep recommendations with object control skills (β = 0.28; p = 0.014). Negative and significant associations were found between screen + sleep with object control skills (β = - 0.28; p = 0.007). The adherence to the 24-h movement behaviour recommendations explained locomotor and object control skills variability by 5% and 7%, respectively.Conclusion: The adherence to the combined movement behaviour recommendations may be a more important influence on FMS in preschoolers compared to any single movement behaviour in isolation. What is Known: • The association between the isolated adherence to movement behaviour (physical activity, screen time and sleep time) recommendations and fundamental movement skills (FMS) in preschoolers, and the role of the 24-h movement behaviours on FMS, has been previously reported. What is New: • This study adds important information to the current literature, when highlighting that the combined adherence to physical activity, screen time and sleep time recommendations is positively associated with object control skills (such as throwing and kicking), and the combination of screen time and sleep is positively associated with locomotor skills (such as running and hopping).

Physical Activity Levels among Preschool-Aged Children in Family Child Care Homes: A Comparison between Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Children Using Accelerometry

Obesity prevalence among Hispanic children is twice that of non-Hispanic white children; Hispanic children may also engage in less physical activity (PA) compared to non-Hispanic white children. A large number of U.S. preschool-aged children are cared for in Family Child Care Homes (FCCH), yet few studies have examined PA levels and ethnicity differences in PA levels among these children. We examine baseline data from a cluster-randomized trial (Healthy Start/Comienzos Sanos) to improve food and PA environments in FCCHs. Children aged 2-to-5-years (n = 342) wore triaxial accelerometers for two days in FCCHs. Variables examined include percentage of time (%) spent in sedentary, and light, moderate, and vigorous PA. The full dataset (n = 342) indicated sedentary behavior 62% ± 11% of the time and only 10% ± 5% of the time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA. Among children in the upper-median half of wear-time (n = 176), Hispanic children had significantly greater % sedentary time vs. Non-Hispanic children (66.2% ± 8.3% vs. 62.6% ± 6.9%, p = 0.007), and lower % light PA (25.4% ± 6.3% vs. 27.7% ± 4.9%, p = 0.008) and moderate PA (5.5% ± 2.1% vs. 6.4% ± 2.2%, p = 0.018). Our results highlight that PA levels were lower among our sample compared to previous studies, and that Hispanic children were more sedentary and less active compared to non-Hispanic white children.

Teaching Methodologies and School Organization in Early Childhood Education and Its Association with Physical Activity

Early childhood represents a crucial period for child development. Physical activity is essential in this process, but studies show that children are very inactive and do not meet the recommended minimums. Due to the large proportion of time they spend at school, it is necessary to examine active and sedentary behaviors in these environments. The aim of the study is to analyze the amount and intensity of physical activity in preschool children during the school day according to the methodology used. Using accelerometry, the amount and intensity of physical activity and sedentary behavior of 156 children aged 4-6 years at different times of the school day were evaluated. The results revealed that preschoolers spend most of their class time sedentary, with children participating in active methodologies registering the highest amount and intensity of physical activity. Recess and specific motor sessions are the most active times, although the latter should increase the time of intense activity that they imply. To increase physical activity during the school day, it is necessary to establish movement integration methodologies, while increasing the number and adjusting the duration of specific motor sessions and of recesses, so that the maximum possible use is made of them.

Do Intervention Studies to Promote Physical Activity and Reduce Sedentary Behavior in Children and Adolescents Take Sex/Gender Into Account? A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Physical inactivity is often reported in youth and differs among boys and girls. The aim of this study is to assess sex/gender considerations in intervention studies promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior in youth using a sex/gender checklist.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted in August 2018 to identify all relevant controlled trials. Studies screened must have reported a quantified measure of physical activity and/or sedentary behavior, and identified participants by sex/gender at baseline. For evaluation of the sex/gender consideration, the authors used a sex/gender checklist developed by expert consensus.

RESULTS

The authors reviewed sex/gender considerations in all aspects of intervention development, implementation, and evaluation in 217 studies. Sex/gender aspects were only rudimentarily taken into account, most frequently during statistical analyses, such as stratification or interaction analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Sex/gender effects are not sufficiently reported. To develop guidelines that are more inclusive of all girls and boys, future interventions need to document sex/gender differences and similarities, and explore whether sex/gender influences different phases of intervention programs. The newly developed sex/gender checklist can hereby be used as a tool and guidance to adequately consider sex/gender in the several steps of intervention planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Effects of a teacher training program to promote physically active play among preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders

Wellness Enhancing Physical Activity for Young Children (WE PLAY) is an intervention intended to promote physical activity (PA) among typically-developing preschool children in child care settings. It was adapted for use by teachers who educate children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This study used a multiple baseline design across participants to evaluate the impact of WE PLAY-Autism on teachers' PA facilitating behaviors and on the PA levels of children with ASD. Visual analysis and effect size estimates indicated that two of the three teachers increased their PA facilitating behavior, although this was insufficient to demonstrate a functional relation. Children's (n = 5) PA was measured daily during school hours using accelerometry. Visual analysis, which was further supported by effect size calculations, indicated higher average levels of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) among preschoolers with ASD in the intervention phase (Tau-U_{A vs. B} = 0.53, p < .001, Hedges' g = 0.99, 95% CI [0.56, 1.43]) and post-training phase (Tau-U_{A vs. B} = 0.55, p < .001, Hedges' g = 1.17, 95% CI [0.73, 1.60]) in comparison to the baseline phase. WE PLAY-Autism is an intervention deserving of further investigation given its meaningful impact on the MVPA of preschoolers with ASD paired with its potential for broad implementation in preschools.

The Association of Different Sedentary Patterns and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Pre-schoolers

Background: The results of sedentary time (ST) and health-related physical fitness (HPF) are not completely consistent and the studies concentrated on pre-schoolers are very limited. Methods: We measured ST and ST patterns (ST Bouts time, ST Breaks times) by accelerometer. The health-related physical fitness T-score (HPFT) was calculated by five indexes: height-weight standard score, 20 m shuttle-run test, grip strength, standing long jump and 2 × 10 m shuttle-run test. Results: We included 375 pre-schoolers (211 boys, 164 girls) in the final analysis. The total ST and ST Bouts times negatively correlated with HPFT in pre-schoolers. HPFT reduced by 1.69 and 0.70 points per 10 min increased in total ST and ST Bouts times, respectively. HPFT of the highest quartile group reduced by 9.85 points in total ST, and 10.54 points in ST Bouts time compared with the lowest quartile group. However, the HPFT increased by 0.09 points per 10 times increased in ST Breaks times; the HPFT increased by 16.21 and 15.59 points when moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) replaced total ST and ST Bouts time. Conclusions: HPF negatively correlated with the Total ST and ST Bouts times, but positively correlated with ST Breaks times; and HPF significantly improved when MVPA replaced ST in pre-schoolers.

Protocol for iGrow (Infant Growth and Development Study): biopsychosocial predictors of childhood obesity risk at 2 years

Background

Childhood obesity remains a significant public health problem. To date, most research on the causes and correlates of obesity has focused on a small number of direct predictors of obesity rather than testing complex models that address the multifactorial nature of the origins of obesity in early development. We describe the rationale and methods of iGrow (Infant Growth and Development Study) which will test multiple pathways by which (a) prenatal maternal psychobiological risk predicts infant weight gain over the first 6 months of life, and (b) this early weight gain confers risk for obesity at age 2. Infant hormonal and psychobiological risk are proposed mediators from prenatal risk to early weight gain, though these are moderated by early maternal sensitivity and obesogenic feeding practices. In addition, higher maternal sensitivity and lower obesogenic feeding practices are proposed predictors of adaptive child self-regulation in the second year of life, and all three are proposed to buffer/reduce the association between high early infant weight gain and obesity risk at age 2.

Methods

iGrow is a prospective, longitudinal community-based study of 300 diverse mothers and infants to be followed across 5 data waves from pregnancy until children are age 2. Key measures include (a) maternal reports of demographics, stress, well-being, feeding practices and child characteristics and health; (b) direct observation of maternal and infant behavior during feeding, play, and distress-eliciting tasks during which infant heart rate is recorded to derive measures of vagal withdrawal; (c) anthropometric measures of mothers and infants; and (d) assays of maternal prenatal blood and infant saliva and urine. A host of demographic and other potential confounds will be considered as potential covariates in structural equation models that include tests of mediation and moderation. Efforts to mitigate the deleterious effects of COVID-19 on study success are detailed.

Discussion

This study has the potential to inform (1) basic science about early life processes casually related to childhood obesity and (2) development of targeted intervention and prevention approaches that consider mother, infant, and family risks and resources.

Levels, factors and interventions of preschool children physical activity: a systematic review

The goal of this study was to complete a systematic review of research on the occurrence the levels of physical activity (PA), forms of intervention and factors associated with this practice among preschool children. Studies published in the period between 2006 and 2016 were investigated, using the PubMed and SPORTDiscus databases. The search terms identified 177 articles, of which 41 met the inclusion criteria. Goals, methodologies and results were analysed. The studies used various cut-off points to establish the desired level of PA, along with different types of interventions. Overall, the problem of low level of PA among preschool children appears to be increasing. Involvement and participation of parents and teachers, guidance from booklets and other information sources, parent instruction and availability of extracurricular activities were considered positive factors that tended to increase children's PA levels, whereas parental obesity was a negative factor. New studies to define sedentary behaviour in preschool children are required to clarify the nature of this problem, along with the establishment of prevention programmes with ecological design aimed at schools, families and other sectors of society.

Adherence to 24-hour movement guidelines in low-income Brazilian preschoolers and associations with demographic correlates

BACKGROUND

The importance of movement behaviors for health is well known, although few studies have examined the adherence to movement guidelines in low-income preschoolers from a middle-income country, as Brazil. This study reports the proportion of preschoolers meeting the 24-hour movement guidelines and investigates its associations with demographic correlates in Brazilian low-income preschoolers.

METHODS

Two hundred and seventy preschoolers (132 boys, means age = 3.97 ± 0.80) provided physical activity (PA) data (Actigraph wGT3X). Sleep duration, screen time, and social correlates were parent-reported. Preschoolers were classified as compliant/not compliant with the 24-hour movement guidelines. Relationships between compliance with movement behaviors guidelines and demographic correlates were calculated using a network analysis (Mplus 8.0; Rstudio).

RESULTS

Preschoolers were active (273.52 ± 62.08 minutes/day of total PA), though moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) time was below the guideline (58.68 ± 22.51 minutes/day); spent more than the recommended 60 minutes/day on screen time (169.91 ± 97.07 minutes/day); and slept less than 10 hours per night (9.44 ± 1.12 hours/day). Only 3% of the sample complied with the guidelines. PA showed the highest compliance (43%), compared to sleep duration (35%) and screen time (15%). Male sex was related to adherence to MVPA recommendations, while female sex, with adherence to total PA recommendations. Child's primary caregiver was the most important centrality indicator in the network.

CONCLUSION

Only 3% of the assessed preschoolers are compliant with the 24-hour movement behaviors guidelines. Strategies to promote adherence to movement behaviors among low-income preschoolers should consider child's primary caregivers to support movement behaviors.

Preschool environment and preschool teacher's physical activity and their association with children's activity levels at preschool

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between preschool playground size, formalized physical activity (PA) policies, time spent outdoors and preschool teacher’s levels of PA and children’s objectively assessed levels of PA and sedentary time (ST) during preschool hours.

Methods

In total, 369 children and 84 preschool teachers from 27 preschools in Södermalm municipally, Stockholm Sweden wore an Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometer during 7 consecutive days. Preschool environmental and structural characteristics were measured via the Environment and Policy Evaluation Self-Report (EPAO-SR) instrument and time in- and outdoors was recorded by preschool teachers during the PA measurements. Weight and height of children were measured via validated scales and parents filled out a questionnaire on demographical and descriptive variables. Linear mixed models, nested on preschool level, were used to assess the association between predictors and outcomes.

Results

The mean child age was 4.7 years (SD 0.8) and 45% were girls. We found that children were more active in preschools with a formalized PA policy, compared to preschools without such a policy, but not less sedentary. The association between policy and activity seemed to be more pronounced when accounting for other environmental factors. Similar associations were found in children spent most time outdoors (uppermost quartile) compared with children spent least time outdoors (Lowermost quartile). Preschool teachers’ light PA (LPA) (ß = 0.25, P = 0.004) and steps (ß = 0.52, P<0.001) were associated with children’s LPA and steps while the preschool playground size showed no association with PA in children, when accounting for other environmental factors.

Conclusion

The current study showed that preschool structural characteristics such as formalized PA policies and more time spent outdoors were positively associated with children’s PA. These findings suggest that formalized PA policies and time outdoors may be of importance for promoting children’s PA during preschool hours.

Calibrating Wrist-Worn Accelerometers for Physical Activity Assessment in Preschoolers: Machine Learning Approaches

BACKGROUND

Physical activity (PA) level is associated with multiple health benefits during early childhood. However, inconsistency in the methods for quantification of PA levels among preschoolers remains a problem.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to develop PA intensity cut points for wrist-worn accelerometers by using machine learning (ML) approaches to assess PA in preschoolers.

METHODS

Wrist- and hip-derived acceleration data were collected simultaneously from 34 preschoolers on 3 consecutive preschool days. Two supervised ML models, receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and ordinal logistic regression (OLR), and one unsupervised ML model, k-means cluster analysis, were applied to establish wrist-worn accelerometer vector magnitude (VM) cut points to classify accelerometer counts into sedentary behavior, light PA (LPA), moderate PA (MPA), and vigorous PA (VPA). Physical activity intensity levels identified by hip-worn accelerometer VM cut points were used as reference to train the supervised ML models. Vector magnitude counts were classified by intensity based on three newly established wrist methods and the hip reference to examine classification accuracy. Daily estimates of PA were compared to the hip-reference criterion.

RESULTS

In total, 3600 epochs with matched hip- and wrist-worn accelerometer VM counts were analyzed. All ML approaches performed differently on developing PA intensity cut points for wrist-worn accelerometers. Among the three ML models, k-means cluster analysis derived the following cut points: ≤2556 counts per minute (cpm) for sedentary behavior, 2557-7064 cpm for LPA, 7065-14532 cpm for MPA, and ≥14533 cpm for VPA; in addition, k-means cluster analysis had the highest classification accuracy, with more than 70% of the total epochs being classified into the correct PA categories, as examined by the hip reference. Additionally, k-means cut points exhibited the most accurate estimates on sedentary behavior, LPA, and VPA as the hip reference. None of the three wrist methods were able to accurately assess MPA.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates the potential of ML approaches in establishing cut points for wrist-worn accelerometers to assess PA in preschoolers. However, the findings from this study warrant additional validation studies.

Association between Compliance with the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and Fundamental Movement Skills in Preschoolers: A Network Perspective

The present study aimed to analyze the compliance with the 24-h movement guidelines and its association with fundamental motor skills (FMS) in early childhood, considering sex and Body Mass Index (BMI) in a network perspective. Two hundred and twelve preschoolers (109 boys, 4.45 ± 0.78 years old) provided physical activity (PA), sleep duration, screen time, fundamental motor skills (FMS) and BMI data. Relationships between compliance with movement behaviors guidelines, FMS, sex and BMI were calculated using a network analysis. Only two percent of the entire sample complied with the overall 24-h movement behaviors recommendations; while the emerged network in the present study emphasized ball skills as the most critical centrality variable, according to age, reinforcing the importance of ball skills for the engagement and maintenance of PA in children. The present study presents a novel statistical and theoretical perspective that permits hitherto unseen insight into the associations between movement behavior, FMS and their correlates, that appropriately consider the inherent, multifaceted, complexity of these relationships.

Measurement of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior by Accelerometry Among a Nationwide Sample from the KiGGS and MoMo Study: Study Protocol

BACKGROUND

Currently, no nationwide objective physical activity data exists for children and adolescents living in Germany. The German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) and the Motorik-Modul study (MoMo) is a national cohort study that has incorporated accelerometers in its most recent data collection wave (wave 2, since 2014). This wave 2 marks the first nationwide collection of objective data on the physical activity of children and adolescents living in Germany.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this protocol is to describe the methods used in the KiGGS and MoMo study to capture the intensity, frequency, and duration of physical activity with accelerometers.

METHODS

Participants (N=11,003, aged 6 to 31 years) were instructed to wear an ActiGraph GT3X+ or wGT3X-BT accelerometer laterally on the right hip. Accelerometers were worn on consecutive days during waking hours, including at least 4 valid weekdays and 1 weekend day (wear time >8 hours) in the evaluation. A nonwear time protocol was also implemented.

RESULTS

Data collection was completed by October 2017. Data harmonization took place in 2018. The first accelerometer results from this wave were published in 2019, and detailed analyses are ready to be submitted in 2020.

CONCLUSIONS

This study protocol provides an overview of technical details and basic choices when using accelerometers in large-scale epidemiological studies. At the same time, the restrictions imposed by the specified filters and the evaluation routines must be taken into account.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/14370.

Active Learning Norwegian Preschool(er)s (ACTNOW) - Design of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of Staff Professional Development to Promote Physical Activity, Motor Skills, and Cognition in Preschoolers

INTRODUCTION

There is a dearth of high-quality evidence on effective, sustainable, and scalable interventions to increase physical activity (PA) and concomitant outcomes in preschoolers. Specifically, there is a need to better understand how the preschool context can be used to increase various types of physically active play to promote holistic child development. The implementation of such interventions requires highly competent preschool staffs, however, the competence in promoting PA is often low. The main aim of the ACTNOW study is therefore to investigate the effects of professional development for preschool staffs on child PA and developmental outcomes.

METHODS

The study will be conducted in Norway 2019-2022 and is designed as a two-arm (intervention, control) cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 7- and 18-months follow-ups. We aim to recruit 60 preschools and 1,200 3- to 5-years-old children to provide sufficient power to detect effect sizes (ESs) between 0.20 and 0.30. The intervention is nested within two levels: the preschool and the child. Central to the ACTNOW intervention are opportunities for children to engage in a variety of "enriched," meaningful, and enjoyable physically active play that supports the development of the whole child. To this end, the main intervention is a 7-month professional development/education module for preschool staff, aimed to provide them with the necessary capacity to deliver four core PA components to the children (moderate-to-vigorous PA, motor-challenging PA, cognitively engaging play, and physically active learning). We will include a range of child-level outcomes, including PA, physical fitness, adiposity, motor skills, socioemotional health, self-regulation, executive function, and learning. At the preschool level, we will describe implementation and adaptation processes using quantitative and qualitative data.

DISCUSSION

Professional development of staff and a whole-child approach that integrates PA with cognitively engaging play and learning activities in the preschool setting may provide a feasible vehicle to enhance both physical and cognitive development in young children. ACTNOW is designed to test this hypothesis to provide a sustainable way to build human capital and provide an early solution to lifelong public health and developmental challenges.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

www.ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04048967.

Associations of participation in organized sports and physical activity in preschool children: a cross-sectional study

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.

Twenty-four-hour movement behaviours and fundamental movement skills in preschool children: A compositional and isotemporal substitution analysis

Studies that have analysed the association between the different movement behaviours and fundamental movement skills (FMS) have considered it in an independent manner, disregarding the compositional nature of 24-h movement behaviours (24-h MB). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the 24-h MB and FMS in preschoolers using a compositional data analysis . Two hundred and four preschoolers (4.5 ± 0.8 years old; 101 boys) provided objectively assessed physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) data (Actigraph wGT3X), and FMS (TGMD-2). Sleep duration (SD) was reported by parents. Association of daily composition of movement behaviours with FMS was explored using compositional analysis and isotemporal substitution (R Core Team, 3.6.1). When considered as a 24-h MB composition (PA, SB and SD), adjusted for age, BMI and sex, the composition predicted locomotor (r² = 0.31), object control (r² = 0.19), and total motor score (r² = 0.35), respectively (all P < 0.001). Reallocation of time from light to moderate-to-vigorous PA was associated with greatest positive changes in total motor score. Achieving adequate balance between movement behaviours over the 24-h period, and its relationship with locomotor and object control skills should be considered and further investigated in early childhood.

Motor Competence and Physical Activity in Early Childhood: Stability and Relationship

Background: Normal motor development and adequate levels of physical activity engagement during the early years of life form the foundation of long-term psychological and physiological health. This is one of the very few studies that investigate the stability and relationships of motor competence and physical activity in preschool children.

Methods: Baseline and 12 month follow-up data of physical activity and motor competence of 550 preschool children aged 2–6 years from the Swiss Preschoolers' Health Study were used for this work. Physical activity data, expressed in counts per minute for total physical activity and minutes per day for time spent moderately-to-vigorously physically active, were collected over 1 week using accelerometers. Motor competence was assessed with the Zurich Neuromotor Assessment. Both motor competence and physical activity were age- and sex-adjusted. To examine the individual stability of physical activity and motor competence and reciprocal cross-sectional and longitudinal effects between these two domains, a latent variable cross-lagged panel model where motor competence was represented through a latent construct was examined using structural equation modeling.

Results: A weak cross-sectional correlation of motor competence with total physical activity (r = 0.24) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (r = 0.23) was found. Motor competence exhibited high stability (β = 0.82) in the preschool years and physical activity was moderately stable with estimates ranging from β = 0.37 for total physical activity to β = 0.48 for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. In contrast to the autoregressive coefficients denoting individual stability, both cross-lagged effects were negligible indicating that physical activity was not a determinant of motor competence or vice versa.

Conclusions: Motor competence and physical activity developed independently of each other in early childhood. Although measures of quantity and intensity of physical activity were not related to motor development, specific movement experiences and practice—which are not reflected by accelerometry—may be needed for skill development. Future research should focus on examining what type of physical activity is important for motor development and how to assess it, and also whether the relationship between physical activity and motor competence evolves over time.

Clinical Trial Registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN41045021 (date of registration: 21.03.14)

Bi-directional prospective associations between objectively measured physical activity and fundamental motor skills in children: a two-year follow-up

Background

The direction of the longitudinal relationship between physical activity (PA) and fundamental motor skills (FMS) remains unclear. We evaluated the bi-directional, prospective relationships between intensity-specific physical activity (PA) and domain-specific fundamental motor skills (FMS) over 2 years in children attending preschool at baseline.

Methods

A sample of 230 children (mean age at baseline 4.7 yr, 52% boys) from the 'Sogn og Fjordane Preschool Physical Activity Study' was measured 2 years apart. PA was assessed using ActiGraph accelerometers (GT3X+). FMS were evaluated by a test battery guided by the 'Test of Gross Motor Development 3' and the 'Preschooler Gross Motor Quality Scale'. PA outcomes were total PA (TPA [counts per minute]) and intensity specific PA and sedentary behaviour (SED) (min/day). FMS outcomes were locomotor, object control, and balance skills. Linear mixed model adjusting for potential co-variates was used to evaluate the bi-directional prospective associations between these variables, including the moderating effect of sex and age.

Results

Baseline total PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), and vigorous PA predicted higher locomotor, object control, and balance skills at follow-up (standardized regression coefficient (β): 0.17 to 0.26, p = 0.002–0.017). Baseline SED predicted lower locomotor skills at follow-up (β: − 0.27, p = 0.012). Baseline light PA did not predict FMS at follow-up. Baseline FMS were not associated with PA or SED at follow-up.

Conclusions

MVPA was positively associated with development of FMS in young children. In contrast, FMS were not related to future PA levels. Our results suggest promotion of MVPA is important for FMS development in young children.

Physical Activity and Fundamental Movement Skills of 3- to 5-Year-Old Children in Irish Preschool Services

The aim of this study was to quantify levels of physical activity (PA) and fundamental movement skills (FMS) of children aged 3 to 5 years in Irish preschool services during care hours, and investigate the relationship between these two variables. Data were collected from 141 children (50.3% boys, ageM = 3.9 ± 0.5 years) across 9 preschool services. Measurements included PA via accelerometry, and proficiency in four FMS (run, vertical jump, throw and catch). The recommended guideline of 15 minutes of PA per hour (min PA/hour) was met by 35% of children (M = 13.6 min PA/hour). Significant differences in mean PA per hour were found by gender, with boys (14.2 min PA/hour) more active than girls (13.0 min PA/ hour), and age, with younger children (14.2 min PA/hour) more active than older (12.6 minutes PA/hour). Percentage of children proficient in the run was high (88.4%), but low across the other skills (4.9%–18.5%). Significant differences were identified by gender for vertical jump with girls scoring higher than boys. No significant relationship was found between FMS and total PA. Low levels of PA and FMS proficiency highlight need for intervention in early years settings to ensure children develop skills to participate in PA.