Abstract
ObjectiveTo analyze physical activity and sedentary behavior in preschool children during their stay at school and the associated factors. Methods370 preschoolers, aged 4–6 years, stratified according to gender, age and school region in the city of Londrina, PR, participated in the study. A questionnaire was applied to principals of preschools to analyze the school infrastructure and environment. Physical activity and sedentary behavior were estimated using accelerometers for five consecutive days during the children's stay at school. The odds ratio (OR) was estimated through binary logistic regression. ResultsAt school, regardless of age, preschoolers spend relatively more time in sedentary behaviors (89.6–90.9%), followed by light (4.6–7.6%), moderate (1.3–3.0%) and vigorous (0.5–2.3%) physical activity. The indoor recreation room (OR 0.20, 95%CI 0.05–0.83) and the playground (OR 0.08, 95%CI 0.00–0.80) protect four-year-old schoolchildren from highly sedentary behavior. An inverse association was found between the indoor recreation room and physical activity (OR 0.20, 95%CI 0.00–0.93) in five-year-old children. The indoor recreation room (OR 1.54, 95%CI 1.35–1.77), the playground (OR 2.82, 95%CI 1.14–6.96) and the recess (OR 1.54, 95%CI 1.35–1.77) are factors that increase the chance of six-year-old schoolchildren to be active. ConclusionsThe school infrastructure and environment should be seen as strategies to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior in preschool children.
Highlights
Sedentary lifestyle and physical activity are two healthrelated behaviors of preschool children
The main results indicated that physical activity at school offers a poor contribution to the amount of daily physical activity recommended for children
Older preschoolers who attend schools with indoor recreation room, park, and recess time are more likely to be active compared to those attending schools without such infrastructure
Summary
Sedentary lifestyle and physical activity are two healthrelated behaviors of preschool children. In children up to 4 years of age, sedentary behavior is an important factor for weight gain, increased LDL-cholesterol and decreased HDLcholesterol levels.[1] there is a positive relationship between increased physical activity and increased bone density, better cardiometabolic profile and lower adiposity.[2] It is recommended that children should spend a maximum of 2h per day being sedentary[3] and achieve 180min/day of physical activity at any intensity.[4]. Children under 6 years of age attend preschools, with a daily average stay of 9h. For this reason, child care centers are no longer paternalistic and are committed to educating children, having as one of its actions the promotion of health[5] through physical activity.[6]
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