Longitudinal follow-up of physical activity from preschool to school age: the ELOS-Pré study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to verify if the practice of physical activity in the preschool age (3-5 years) is predictive of this behavior after entering the school age (5-7 years).A longitudinal, school-based study with 700 children enrolled in public and private schools of the city of Recife, Pernambuco, who were evaluated in 2010 and followed in 2012. The study variables were the time spent in outdoor games and plays (a measure referred to by the parents / guardians of children through questionnaire applied as an interview) and the level of physical activity (objective measure obtained by the Actigraph accelerometer). The latter measure was extracted from a subsample (n = 98) of children. To analyze data, binary logistic regression was used. Children who spent 60+ minutes per day in this type of activity were 45% more likely of maintaining this behavior after entering the school age (OR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.02-2.07, p = 0.04). In addition, children who presented global NAF measure of 300+ counts / minute in 2010 were 173% more likely of maintaining this level of physical activity after entering the school age (OR = 2.73, 95% CI, 98-7.59, p = 0.06). It was verified that the practice of physical activity in the preschool age is a predictor of this behavior after entering the school age. It is suggested the development of campaigns to inform parents and teachers about the importance of early adherence to physical activity recommendations.

Systematic review of the correlates of outdoor play and time among children aged 3-12 years

“…Of 107 studies included, 27 studies were based on samples from the US [ 45 , 46 , 57 , 62 , 63 , 66 – 69 , 72 , 77 , 81 – 83 , 87 , 92 , 93 , 96 , 102 , 106 , 118 , 119 , 121 , 125 , 126 , 132 ], followed by Australia ( n = 14) [ 31 , 36 , 50 , 51 , 53 , 54 , 65 , 105 , 114 , 116 , 122 , 129 – 131 ] and Canada ( n = 11) [ 50 , 60 , 61 , 73 , 76 , 98 , 105 , 115 , 117 , 135 ] (one study included both Australia and Canada [ 70 ]). There were 96 cross-sectional [ 31 – 35 , 38 , 40 – 50 , 52 – 56 , 58 – 102 , 104 – 110 , 113 – 121 , 123 – 130 , 134 – 137 ] and 12 longitudinal studies (prospective, n = 11 [ 39 , 53 ...…”

“…The correlates that were consistently not associated with outdoor play (“ ∅∅ ”) included weight status [ 66 , 84 , 97 , 104 , 111 , 113 , 117 , 119 ], health status [ 66 , 69 , 82 , 96 ], screen time/exposure [ 34 , 118 , 121 , 129 ], father’s education [ 66 , 78 , 89 , 96 , 97 , 127 ], SES/household income [ 60 , 67 , 73 , 75 , 83 , 90 , 99 , 102 , 119 , 121 , 137 ], parental marital status or cohabitation [ 66 , 82 , 118 , 122 ], family composition [ 61 , 78 , 92 , 97 , 120 ], duration of residency in their current neighborhood [ 62 , 82 , 122 ], attendance to ECEC [ 44 , 62 , 66 , 82 , 120 ], pedestrian crossing with or without traffic lights [ 33 ], social aspects of the playground environment (e.g., group size, presence of active children, presence of children and adults by sex) [ 109 ], and rurality [ 32 , 33 , 61 , 78 , 89 , 99 , 125 ].…”

“…In addition to children’s own physical activity levels being correlated with outdoor play [ 51 , 104 ]/time [ 55 , 133 ] at varying degrees, parents seem to play an important role in providing children with outdoor opportunities. Specifically, parents holding positive attitude towards overall physical activity [ 112 , 132 ] and recreation/nature [ 69 ], parents being physically active role models [ 61 , 110 , 114 , 116 , 118 , 124 , 130 ], and parents providing support [ 61 , 67 , 92 , 102 , 110 , 129 , 135 , 137 ] were found to be important, particularly for outdoor play. Parental influence being a strong predictor of outdoor play/time, and physical activity more broadly, has been highlighted in recent work [ 20 , 143 ].…”

“…Of 107 studies included, 27 studies were based on samples from the US [45, 46, 57, 62, 63, 66-69, 72, 77, 81-83, 87, 92, 93, 96, 102, 106, 118, 119, 121, 125, 126, 132], followed by Australia (n = 14) [31,36,50,51,53,54,65,105,114,116,122,[129][130][131] and Canada (n = 11) [50,60,61,73,76,98,105,115,117,135] (one study included both Australia and Canada [70]). There were 96 crosssectional [31-35, 38, 40-50, 52-56, 58-102, 104-110, 113-121, 123-130, 134-137] and 12 longitudinal studies (prospective, n = 11 [39,53,54,103,111,112,130,133,137]; retrospective, n = 1 [65]), of which two studies included both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs [37,96]. Among 88 studies that reported sex/gender distribution of their sample [32-35, 37, 38, 40, 42, 44-49, 51-57, 59-62, 64-78, 82-85, 87-90, 92, 93, 95-104, 106-126, 128-135, 138], one was limited to girls in the UK [35] and in the remaining 87 studies an average of 49.6% were girls.…”

“…The correlates that were consistently not associated with outdoor play (" ∅∅ ") included weight status [66,84,97,104,111,113,117,119], health status [66,69,82,96], screen time/exposure [34,118,121,129], father's education [66,78,89,96,97,127], SES/household income [60,67,73,75,83,90,99,102,119,121,137], parental marital status or cohabitation [66,82,118,122], family composition [61,78,92,97,120], duration of residency in their current neighborhood [62,82,122], attendance to ECEC [44,62,66,…”