Parent–child Movement Behaviors and Bluetooth Proximity in Preschool-aged Children

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examined the associations of parental movement behaviors (MBs; sleep, stationary time, light-intensity physical activity [LPA], and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity [MVPA]) and parent–child proximity with preschool-aged children’s MBs. Parent–child MBs and proximity were assessed with Bluetooth-enabled accelerometers. Parent–child proximity behaviors were categorized as follows: no proximity (NP), proximity and matching parent–child MBs (Co), and proximity and mismatching parent–child MBs (Close). Lastly, proximity MBs were categorized specific to children’s MBs (e.g. NP-MVPA, Co-MVPA, and Close-MVPA). Compositional analyses were conducted. Children (n = 89) were mostly boys (69.7%) with a mean age of 4.6 ± 0.7 years. Parent MBs were not associated with children’s MBs. Reallocating 1% of the proximity behavior composition to Close resulted in +2.45 minutes/day of children’s LPA. Reallocating 1% of the proximity-MVPA composition to NP-MVPA resulted in +1.61 minutes/day of children’s MVPA. Parent–child proximity may be a modifiable correlate of children’s physical activity. Future research should measure the whole family.