Abstract
The evidence regarding associations between intensity-specific physical activity and adiposity in young children is conflicting. Moreover, the evidence is limited by analytical approaches that cannot handle the multicollinearity among multiple variables across the entire intensity spectrum. We aimed to determine the multivariate physical activity intensity signature associated with body mass index in a large sample of preschool children aged 3–6 years. 1182 Norwegian preschool children (mean age 4.7 years, 51% boys) provided data on physical activity (ActiGraph GT3X+) and body mass index during 2015–2016. Multivariate pattern analysis was used to determine associations between the entire triaxial intensity spectra (time spent in intensities from 0-99 to ≥ 15000 counts per minute) and body mass index in the total sample and in subgroups split by sex and age (median split). The association patterns were comparable across the three axes. For the vertical axis, associations were negative for time spent sedentary (0–99 counts per minute), positive for time spent in lower intensities (100–2999 counts per minute), and negative for time spent in vigorous intensities (4000–12,999 counts per minute). Associations were stronger in older than in younger children and no associations were observed for vigorous intensities among younger children. Association patterns were comparable for boys and girls. In conclusion, we found clear associations with body mass index across the physical activity intensity spectrum in preschool children. However, the age-specific association patterns suggest negative (unfavorable) associations with vigorous physical activity intensities develop around 5–6 years of age.
Highlights
Overweight and obesity are major health concerns globally (The Global Burden of Disease 2015 Obesity Collaborators, 2017) and develop in many cases from an early age (Monteiro and Victora, 2005)
Of the 1308 children that participated in the study, 1182 (90%) children provided valid data on both physical activity (PA) and body mass index (BMI) and were included in Younger Older n Age
In the total group of children, we found a negative association for time spent in Sedentary time (SED) (0–99 cpm), positive associations for time spent in light PA (LPA) and partly moderate PA (MPA) (100–2999 cpm), and negative associations for time spent in vigorous PA (VPA) (4000–12,999 cpm) with BMI
Summary
Overweight and obesity are major health concerns globally (The Global Burden of Disease 2015 Obesity Collaborators, 2017) and develop in many cases from an early age (Monteiro and Victora, 2005). While there is convincing evidence of a negative association for physical activity (PA) with adiposity and metabolic health in school-aged chil dren and youth (Poitras et al, 2016; Ekelund et al, 2012; Aadland et al, 2018a; Jimenez-Pavon et al, 2010; Cooper et al, 2015), the evidence for such an association in younger children is weaker and mixed (Carson et al, 2017; Bingham et al, 2016; Wiersma et al, 2020). Given the weak associations sought uncovered, such sample sizes will inherently lead to instable association estimates and hetero geneity among study conclusions
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