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Prevalence and influences of preschoolers’ sedentary behaviors in early learning centers: a cross-sectional study

Overview of attention for article published in BMC Pediatrics, September 2015
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Title
Prevalence and influences of preschoolers’ sedentary behaviors in early learning centers: a cross-sectional study
Published in
BMC Pediatrics, September 2015
DOI 10.1186/s12887-015-0441-5
Pubmed ID
Authors

Patricia Tucker, Leigh M. Vanderloo, Shauna M. Burke, Jennifer D. Irwin, Andrew M. Johnson

Abstract

Recent research has highlighted the need for increased evidence regarding the sedentary activity levels of preschoolers. Given the large proportion of time this population spends in various early learning facilities, the exploration of sedentary behaviors within this particular environment should be a priority. The purpose of the study was two-fold: (1) to compare sedentary time of preschoolers in three different early learning environments (i.e., full-day kindergarten [FDK], center-, and home-based childcare); and (2) to assess which characteristics (i.e., staff behaviors, sedentary environment, fixed play environment, portable play environment, sedentary opportunities) of these early learning environments influence preschoolers' sedentary time. Data collection occurred between September 2011 and June 2012. Preschoolers' sedentary time was measured using Actical™ accelerometers at a 15 s epoch. The Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation (EPAO) tool was used to assess the sedentary environment of participating early learning classrooms, and those subscales (n = 5) that were evidence-informed as potentially influencing sedentary time in early learning centers were explored in the current study. A linear mixed model ANCOVA was carried out to determine the differences in sedentary time based on type of early learning environment while direct entry regression analyses were performed to describe the relationships between sedentary time and the five sedentary-specific EPAO subscale. Preschoolers (n = 218) from 28 early learning programs (i.e., 8 FDK, 9 centre-, and 8 home-based childcare facilities) participated. Accelerometry data revealed that preschoolers attending centre-based childcare engaged in the highest rate of sedentary time (41.62 mins/hr, SD = 3.78) compared to preschoolers in home-based childcare (40.72 mins/hr, SD = 6.34) and FDK (39.68 mins/hr, SD = 3.43). The models for FDK, center-based childcare, and home-based childcare, comprised each of the five EPAO subscales accounted for 10.5 %, 5.9 %, and 40.78 % of the variability in sedentary time, respectively. Only the models for FDK and home-based childcare were found to be statistically significant (p < .05). This is the first exploration of differences in sedentary time among preschoolers in different early learning arrangements. Findings highlight the substantial portion of the day preschoolers spend in sedentary pursuits, and subsequently, the ongoing need to reduce preschoolers' sedentary time in early learning programs, particularly among those attending centre-based childcare facilities.

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Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 145 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
United Kingdom 1 <1%
Portugal 1 <1%
Unknown 143 99%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Ph. D. Student 24 17%
Student > Master 24 17%
Student > Bachelor 16 11%
Student > Doctoral Student 14 10%
Researcher 11 8%
Other 18 12%
Unknown 38 26%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Nursing and Health Professions 25 17%
Psychology 18 12%
Medicine and Dentistry 16 11%
Sports and Recreations 14 10%
Social Sciences 11 8%
Other 18 12%
Unknown 43 30%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 05 July 2016.
All research outputs
#20,335,423
of 22,880,230 outputs
Outputs from BMC Pediatrics
#2,601
of 3,012 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#229,181
of 272,959 outputs
Outputs of similar age from BMC Pediatrics
#50
of 62 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 22,880,230 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 1st percentile – i.e., 1% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
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