scholarly journals Secular Changes of Adiposity and Motor Development in Czech Preschool Children: Lifestyle Changes in Fifty-Five Year Retrospective Study

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petr Sedlak ◽  
Jana Pařízková ◽  
Robert Daniš ◽  
Hana Dvořáková ◽  
Jana Vignerová
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Motor Development ◽  
Motor Performance ◽  
Skinfold Thickness ◽  
Lifestyle Changes ◽  
Preschool Age ◽  
Energy Output ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Inadequate Food Intake

Secular trends of adiposity and motor development in preschool children since the fifties of the last century up to the beginning of this millennium were analyzed so as to reveal possible changes due to continuously differentiating lifestyle. In preschool children (n=3678) height, weight, skinfold thickness over triceps, subscapular, and suprailiac were measured by Harpenden caliper in 1957, 1977, 1980, 1985, 1990, and 2012. Simultaneously, motor performance was tested by evaluating the achievements in broad jump and throwing a ball, as a marker of adaptation to changing level of physical activity, free games, and exercise. Along the period of five decades the values of skinfold thickness increased significantly until 2012, mainly on the trunk. Simultaneously, the level of motor performance significantly decreased. Modifications of the way of life during the mentioned five decades characterized by sedentarism and inadequate food intake as related to energy output influenced negatively both adiposity and motor performance already in preschool children. Mostly increased deposition of fat on the trunk which is considered as a marker of possible development of metabolic syndrome was apparent already in preschool age, indicating the importance of early intervention concerning also physical activity and availability for exercise since early life.

scholarly journals Forms of Physical Activity of Biała Podlaska Preschool Children

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 163-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulina Gradus ◽  
Ewa Benza ◽  
Olga Rybak ◽  
Paweł Krzysztoń ◽  
Paulina Batorzyńska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Motor Development ◽  
Preschool Education ◽  
Preschool Age ◽  
Kindergarten Children ◽  
Psychomotor Development ◽  
Diagnostic Study ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Housing Estates

Abstract Introduction. Physical activity is fundamental to children's all-round development in the first six years of their life. It is particularly significant in preschool age, when the need for movement is predominant. Psychomotor development, conditioned by children's innate abilities and their own activity, depends upon the influence of external surroundings as well as parental upbringing and preschool education. The aim of the study was to obtain data regarding physical activity (both structured and unstructured) of children during their stay in a kindergarten. Material and methods. The study was conducted in five state kindergartens situated in four main housing estates of Bia³a Podlaska. It included 11 groups of older preschool children. It was a diagnostic study. A diagnostic poll method employed in the study included interviews with teachers, lesson observations (during one day) and document analyses (programmes and class registers). Results. During their stay in a kindergarten children take part in physical activities for 1.5 hours a day. During this period they participate in obligatory forms of physical activity such as morning gymnastics, movement plays, outdoor activities and gymnastic exercises. Furthermore, optional movement activities are organised in kindergartens (different forms in different kindergartens). Such extra classes enable children to be physically active for over two more hours per week. Conclusions. In terms of caring about health and motor development of children, not all elements of preschool education programmes are fully realised. Training sessions, workshops and lectures showing diverse forms of physical activity for children ought to be organised for preschool teachers.

scholarly journals Relationship between smartphone use management and physical activity in leisure time of children aged 4-6

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 477-508
Author(s):  
Bojan Milošević ◽  
Branka Janković ◽  
Milenko Janković
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Empirical Research ◽  
Time Management ◽  
Leisure Time ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
Preschool Age ◽  
Sports Activity ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
Smartphone Use

We are witnesses to an ever faster and more "aggressive" influence of modern technologies, not only on lives of adults and adolescents, but also children of preschool age. This planetary trend has not bypassed contemporary Serbian society either. The subject of this paper is the analysis of the data collected through the original empirical research in relation to establishing a connection between (1) the dimension of smartphone control imposed by the parents and (2) the dimensions of physical activity of children of preschool age in their leisure time. The paper analyzes the physical activities of preschool children depending on the following variables: children's gender and age (4, 5 or 6 years old), whether the child owns a smartphone or not, whether the child is included in a programmed sports activity; all this in relation to the parents' statement on whether they limit the time of the child's smartphone use. The relationship between these variables is justified by applying the Parental Smartphone Use Management Scale (PSUMS), while Baecke questionnaire is used for the data on preschool children's physical activity in their leisure time. The empirical research was carried out in the first half of 2020 by conducting a survey among the parents of 943 preschool children aged from 4 to 6 attending preschool and daycare centres in the territory of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina (Serbia). Based on the analysis of the collected data, we have deduced the following: 1. a large percentage of children from 4 to 6 do not own their own smartphones (77.9%), but nonetheless they use smartphones on a daily basis (73.4%); 2. there are no differences in children's physical activities in relation to their gender and age; 3. children spend more time on physical activities in their leisure time if they do not have their own smartphones, if they are engaged in an organized sports activity ("recreational schools"), as well as if their parents limit their smartphone use, and 4. children participate more in physical activities in their leisure time if their parents are consistent regarding children's smartphone time management. Recommendations to parents based on our research are that children should be included in free physical activities at the earliest preschool age, and in the structured/programmed ones at a later preschool age, because that is the period most suitable for accepting adequate habits of physical exercise that are carried on into adulthood. In that manner, children will more easily "give up" their passive (sedentary) activities in leisure time, which is usually spent alongside use of smartphone, all with the aim of optimizing the quality of their growing up.

Policies and Practices to Promote Physical Activity

2021 ◽  
pp. 306-321
Author(s):  
Linda Saraiva ◽  
Fernando Santos ◽  
Ana Ferreira ◽  
César Sá
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Motor Development ◽  
Preschool Education ◽  
Policy Assessment ◽  
Program Staff ◽  
Observation Instrument ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity

This chapter presents a pilot study that sought to examine the practices and policies that can encourage children's physical activity in preschool settings located at Viana do Castelo, Portugal. The Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation instrument was used to measure the quality of the physical activity environment. The findings show that preschool settings present multiple limitations that may hinder children's physical activity and motor development. It should also be noted that policies are practically non-existent as there is a clear absence of physical activity content within the guiding documents in preschool education contexts. Further, there were no education opportunities provided to program staff. It is paramount to engage policymakers and other stakeholders in discussions that provide quality environments to encourage physical activity among preschool children.

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

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

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

Move Your Brain!

2021 ◽  
pp. 228-241
Author(s):  
María Pilar León ◽  
Alejandro Prieto-Ayuso
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Cognitive Engagement ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
Preschool Age ◽  
Cognitive Demands ◽  
Classroom Routines ◽  
Active Breaks

Active breaks have received great attention both among teachers and researchers and are used by those who pursuit to take advantage of all its benefits. Because of these benefits, many teachers or schools have incorporated active breaks into their daily classroom routines. However, to the authors' knowledge, there is not any program aimed entirely at preschool age. Also, the type of activities proposed in these programs are mostly mechanic with low cognitive engagement while some authors argue that cognitively engaging physical activity is more beneficial for cognitive and academic performance than mechanic activities. For these reasons, this chapter proposes a new active break program aimed at preschool children. This program, entitled “Move Your Brain,” will be composed of physical activities with inherent cognitive demands to challenge the children's brains.

Abstract MP39: A Multi-component Intervention Increased Physical Activity in Preschool Children

Circulation ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 127 (suppl_12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell R Pate ◽  
William H Brown ◽  
Ruth Saunders ◽  
Karin A Pfeiffer ◽  
Marsha Dowda
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Sedentary Behavior ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Physical Activity Intervention ◽  
Preschool Age ◽  
Analysis Of Covariance ◽  
Research Staff ◽  
School Day ◽  
And Control

Introduction: A majority of preschool-age children spend a significant portion of every weekday in a preschool or child care setting. Studies have shown that children in these settings spend a majority of their time in sedentary behavior and very little time in physical activity. Hypothesis: A multi-component preschool physical activity intervention will increase the amount of time young children spend in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and decrease the time they spend in sedentary activities, compared to children in control preschools. Methods: The study included 16 preschools with 4-year-old classrooms, paired and randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention focused on increasing children’s physical activity by changing instructional practices and the classroom environment. Research staff trained preschool teachers to engage children in physical activity throughout the school day and provided physical activity materials, ongoing support and technical assistance. Intervention components included physical activity opportunities in the classroom, physical activity outdoors, and active lessons. The intervention was designed to be flexible, and research staff encouraged teachers to adapt it to their classroom environment. Four-year-old children and their parents were recruited in two waves at each school. Measures included child height and weight, child physical activity by accelerometry, and parent questionnaires, measured during the fall and spring of each wave. Mixed model analysis of covariance with preschool as a random variable tested the effects of the intervention on physical activity in the total group and by sex. Results: A total of 379 children (188 intervention and 191 control) were measured at baseline. Children were 4.5±0.4 years of age, and 50% were boys. The intervention schools included a higher percentage of white children compared to the control schools (44.2% versus 39.3%). After adjusting for wave, parent education and length of the school day (half day vs. full day), children in the intervention schools engaged in significantly more MVPA than children in the control schools (7.4±0.2 and 6.7±0.2 minutes/hour, respectively). In the sex-specific analyses, differences between intervention and control were significant for girls (6.9±02 vs. 6.1±0.2 minutes/hour of MVPA, respectively) but not for boys (7.8±03 vs. 7.3±0.3 minutes/hour, respectively). No differences in time spent in sedentary behavior were observed between intervention and control preschools. Conclusions: In conclusion, a flexible, multi-component physical activity intervention that trains teachers to provide children with opportunities to be active throughout the school day increased MVPA in preschool children.

scholarly journals Physical Activity, Body Mass, and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Preschool Children: A Cross-Sectional Analysis in the Split-Dalmatia County (Croatia)

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (18) ◽  
pp. 3237
Author(s):  
Lejla Obradovic Salcin ◽  
Zeljka Karin ◽  
Vesna Miljanovic Damjanovic ◽  
Marko Ostojic ◽  
Andrea Vrdoljak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Body Composition ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Preschool Age ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Random Factor ◽  
The Mediterranean

Physical activity, body mass, and dietary habits are known to be important determinants of overall health status, but there is an evident lack of studies that examine these issues specifically in preschool children. The aim of this study was to identify associations that may exist between adhering to the Mediterranean diet (MD), levels of physical activity (PA), and body composition indices in apparently healthy preschool children from southern Croatia. Participants were 5- to 6-year-old preschoolers from the Mediterranean part of the country (the Split-Dalmatia County; n = 260, 126 females). Adherence to the MD was observed by the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED), PA level was evaluated by the Preschool-age Children’s Physical Activity Questionnaire (Pre-PAQ), and responses were collected from the parents. The participants’ waist circumferences (in cm), waist-to-hip ratios, and body mass index (in kg/m2, and in a z-score calculated relative to the normative value for age and sex) were used as indicators of body composition. All children were of the same age and tested over a one-month period of the same year as a part of the regular examination undertaken before attending elementary school. With only 6% of the children having a low KIDMED score, adherence to the MD was high. MD adherence was higher in girls (Chi-square = 15.31, p < 0.01) and children who live on the coast of the Adriatic Sea (Chi-square = 18.51, p < 0.01). A mixed effects logistic regression (with kindergarten as random factor) identified sedentary activity to be negatively associated with MD adherence (OR per point: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.44–0.91). High adherence to the MD in the studied sample may be attributed to regulated feeding in kindergarten. Considering that most Croatian elementary schools do not provide food to their students, MD adherence should be investigated later in life and also in other parts of the country where the MD is culturally less prevalent.

Motor competence of brazilian preschool children assessed by TGMD-2 test: a systematic review

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guilherme dos Santos ◽  
Mellina Maria do Lago Manso Silva ◽  
Martín Dario Villanueva ◽  
Josael Pereira da Silva Júnior ◽  
Maria Teresa Cattuzzo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preschool Children ◽  
Motor Development ◽  
Private School ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Motor Performance ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Gross Motor Development ◽  
Performance Results ◽  
Brazilian Studies

The Gross Motor Development Test (TGMD-2) is a discriminant and norm-referenced test used to assess the competence level of children aged 3 to 10 years. The aim of the present study was to systematically review the results of Brazilian studies that examined the motor development of preschool children using the TGMD-2 test, considering the different regions of Brazil, as well as to analyze the results related to the factors associated with the performance in the test TGMD-2; we reviewed the LILACS and SCIELO databases using the term "TGMD-2" as the descriptor, searching for original published studies from 2007 to 2018, with full text available, in the Portuguese and English languages, which evaluated motor performance in preschool children using TGMD-2; data extraction included items: first author, local, periodical, objectives, design, sample characteristics, test performance results and related factors; quality of the studies was also evaluated. The ten studies included in the review indicated differences in motor performance in different regions. Signs of better motor performance were found in children of private school and who practice physical activity guided by a physical education professional.

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