Cross-Sectional Associations of 24-Hour Sedentary Time, Physical Activity, and Sleep Duration Compositions with Sleep Quality and Habits in Preschoolers.

Christine W St Laurent,Rebecca M C Spencer,Robert Marcotte,Katrina Rodheim,Sarah Burkart

doi:10.3390/ijerph17197148

Abstract

Although some studies indicate physical activity and sleep quality are positively associated in children, most reports examined physical activity independent of other 24-h behaviors and focused on older children. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the predicted changes in sleep efficiency and habits when reallocating time between movement behaviors using compositional isotemporal substitution in preschool-aged children. Accelerometers were worn by 288 participants (51.6 ± 9.5 months) for up to 16 days. Sleep outcomes included sleep efficiency, nap frequency, sleep disturbances, and bedtime resistance. Compositional isotemporal substitution analyses demonstrated that the combined effect of 24-h movement behaviors was associated with sleep efficiency (p < 0.001) and nap frequency (p < 0.003). When sleep increased by 30 min at the expense of stationary time or light physical activity, estimates of sleep efficiency and bedtime resistance decreased while nap frequency increased. When stationary time increased by 30 min from moderate to vigorous physical activity, estimated sleep efficiency increased and sleep disturbances decreased. Although this study presents preliminary evidence that 24-h movement behavior compositions in early childhood are associated with sleep quality and nap frequency, estimated effects from theoretical time reallocations across sleep outcomes were mixed.

Highlights

Physical activity and sleep are both important modifiable behaviors that contribute to physical and cognitive health in young children [1,2,3]
Sleep outcome measures ranged from 78.7% to 97.2% for sleep efficiency, 0 to 7 days for nap frequency, 7 to 70 for Total Sleep Disturbances score, and 5 to 13 for the Bedtime Resistance score
The present study provides preliminary evidence that 24-h movement behavior compositions in early childhood are associated with sleep quality and habits

Summary

Introduction

Physical activity and sleep are both important modifiable behaviors that contribute to physical and cognitive health in young children [1,2,3]. Sedentary behaviors, physical activity (i.e., light and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity) and sleep have been coined 24-h movement behaviors and some national and international health organizations have begun to promote comprehensive movement behavior guidelines for a 24-h cycle [4,5]. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently published guidelines with sleep, sedentary behavior, and physical activity recommendations for children under 5 years of age [6]. The WHO guidelines recommend that preschool children (i.e., ages 3 to 4 years) participate in at least 180 min of physical activity, engage in no more than 60 min of sedentary screen time, and obtain 10 to 13 h of good quality sleep in a 24-h day. Public Health 2020, 17, 7148; doi:10.3390/ijerph17197148 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion