Abstract
The after-school period may play a critical role in the accumulation of children’s physical activity and sedentary time. The study aimed to characterize familial correlates of early school-age children’s leisure time activities. A cross-sectional study was conducted among a group of 223 children (mean age 8.7 ± 0.5) and their parents. The percentage of children with daily leisure time physical activity (LTPA) >1 h was 23.32%, and with daily screen time <2 h was 32.74%. The average children’s leisure time physical activity was significantly higher on weekend days than on weekdays (114.85 vs. 89.43 min, p = 0.005). Similarly, the average screen time was higher on weekend days than on weekdays (95.50 vs. 66.10 min, p < 0.001). The multivariate regression analysis revealed that independent predictors of children’s leisure time physical activity were the father’s education level and the father’s occupational status, whereas at least one parent with higher education correlated negatively with children’s longer screen time. The study showed that children’s leisure time activities are associated with parental education and differ significantly between weekdays and weekend days. These findings underline the need for screening for unfavorable health behaviors among early school-age children, and indicate that health promotion programs should be oriented on both parents and children aiming to improve parental health consciousness, reduce screen time and increase physical activity, especially during the weekend.
Highlights
Schwarzfischer et al observed a steep decline in the number of children fulfilling current PA recommendations between 8 and 11 years [23]. These findings suggest that the decline of physical activity and increase of sedentary behaviors start in early school-age, emphasizing that this period is a crucial time for healthy lifestyle intervention
Since scientific evidence points out that early school-age may be a critical period in shaping health behaviors, and there are no studies in the Polish population of this group of children and their parents, this study aimed to identify familial correlates of leisure time activities among Polish early school-age children
The way that children spend the after-school period may crucially contribute to their total daily physical activity and screen time, the percentage of children who comply with the recommendations for a healthy lifestyle is rather low
Summary
Physical activity in childhood is one of the major components required for healthy growth. It improves motor skills and performance and positively affects skeletal health by increasing bone mineral density [1,2]. Physical activity is an important determinant of cognitive development, such as language learning, attention, memory and academic achievement [1,3,4]. It has a beneficial impact on emotional and mental well-being, helps in stress management and reduces the risks of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, becoming overweight and obese, and other chronic diseases [2]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
