Level of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep in the early childhood population

Abstract

Introduction: the daily general activity pattern of preschool aged children is composed of sleep time, sedentary time, and physical activity of mild, moderate, or vigorous intensity. Objective: to determine the compliance with the recommendations for physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep according to the days of the week, sex, and age in children aged from 2 to 5 years. Methods: a cross-sectional study in 361 preschool aged boys and girls. The Questionnaire for the Measurement of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Children from Preschool to 4th grade (C-MAFYCS) was used, which inquires about three behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep). The statistical analysis was carried out using the SPSS, version 24 program (Simón Bolívar University license). Results: on average, children perform 132.4  95.2 minutes of physical activity and spend 70.4  63.4 minutes per day in sedentary behaviors. The time dedicated to active play and organized sport is greater on Saturdays and Sundays (175.1  140 minutes) (p = 0.0001). The time spent watching television was greater during the weekend (70.7  69.4 minutes). On average, preschoolers sleep 10.2  0.9 hours per day, less during the week (9.3  0.7 minutes). Conclusions: balance between these behaviors is essential for the health of children in this first stage of life. It is essential that parents, caregivers, and the community in general attend to the healthy lifestyles of this population since these are patterns that are learned and acquired to remain in the following stages of the life cycle.