Preschool children’s adherence to the 24-hour physical activity guidelines: A systematic review comparing sexes

Abstract

Objective: Physical activity (PA) is essential to promote both optimal physical and emotional health in preschool children. Hence, well-founded PA guidelines are essential. 24-hour Movement Guidelines (which include PA, recreational screen time and sleep) have been established. Thus, this study aimed to explore preschool-aged children’s adherence to the 24-hour PA guidelines assessed using microelectromechanical systems, and whether sex was a determining factor for meeting the guidelines. Method: A systematic review of relevant published articles was carried out using four databases (PubMed, ProQuest, SCOPUS, FECYT) up until April, 2023. Results: From a total of 519 studies initially located, 48 were included in our synthesis. Of the studies analysed for this review, 7 showed results below 30% compliance with the PA guidelines, 19 below 70%, and 22 from 70% to 100%. In terms of sex differences, the studies analysed in the review suggested that boys are more likely to meet PA guidelines than girls. There exists controversy about adherence to PA levels as age increases. Several studies have shown an increase in the early years (1–5) while others, although to a lesser extent, have found that total PA remained stable or decreased from 3 to 5 years. Conclusion: In the light of these findings, more research is needed to better understand trends in PA during the preschool years and the factors that influence them. In the meantime, promoting regular PA and reducing recreational screen time remain key priorities for the health and development of preschool-aged children.