Novel patterns of physical activity in a large sample of preschool-aged children.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), shown to be associated with health benefits, is not well-characterized in preschool-aged children. MVPA is commonly described as a threshold amount to achieve. We examined a novel way to characterize MVPA patterns in preschool-aged children by gender and age.

Methods

Preschool-aged children from Nashville, TN and Minneapolis, MN wore triaxial accelerometers. Four distinct MVPA patterns were identified: isolated spurt (IS), isolated sustained activity (ISA), clustered spurt (CS), and clustered sustained activity (CSA). Multivariable linear regression models were used to test associations of gender and age with each pattern.

Results

One thousand one hundred thirty-one children (3.9 years old, 51% girls, 30% overw

SUBMITTER: Ruiz RM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5812042 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature