Relationship of objective measurement of physical activity during school hours and BMI in preschool children

Abstract

The measurement of the physical activity (PA) since early ages is a key factor in lifestyle evaluation. The aims of this study were to describe objective levels of PA and to determine the association of body mass index status (BMI) with PA patterns in preschool children. Weight and height were measured in 59 healthy pre-school children. The children used the accelerometer for 4 consecutive days during school hours. The prevalence of OW+OB was 30.5%. The 82.31% of the time spent at kindergarten was allocated to sedentary tasks. The 5 years-old boys were significantly more engaged in TPA and MVPA and less in SB than girls. No statistically significant associations were found between OW/OB and PA patterns. Most of the time spent at school is related to SB, which is central to childhood obesity risk. Early interventions to increase PA in preschool children are needed.