Preschool Environmental Factors, Parental Socioeconomic Status, and Children’s Sedentary Time: An Examination of Cross-Level Interactions

Suvi Määttä, Hanna Konttinen, Reetta Lehto, Ari Haukkala, Maijaliisa Erkkola and Eva Roos
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Suvi Määttä: Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland
Hanna Konttinen: Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Reetta Lehto: Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland
Ari Haukkala: Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Maijaliisa Erkkola: Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, 000014 Helsinki, Finland
Eva Roos: Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-19

Abstract: Preschool children’s high levels of sedentary time (ST) is a public health concern. As preschool reaches a large population of children from different socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds, more knowledge on how the preschool setting is associated with children’s ST is relevant. Our aims were to examine (1) the associations of preschool setting (covering social, physical, and organizational level) with children’s ST, and (2) the moderating role of the setting on the association between parental SES and children’s ST. In the cross-sectional DAGIS (increased health and wellbeing in preschools) study, the participating children ( n = 864, aged 3–6 years) were asked to wear an accelerometer for one week. In total, 779 children had valid ST accelerometer data during preschool hours. Preschool setting and parental SES was assessed by questionnaires and observation. Multilevel linear regression models with cross-level interactions were applied to examine the associations. Early educators’ practice of breaking children’s ST often, more frequent physical activity (PA) theme weeks, and higher number of physical education (PE) lessons were associated with lower children’s ST. Higher parental SES was associated with higher children’s ST in preschools (1) with organized sedentary behavior theme weeks, (2) with a lower number of PA theme weeks, and (3) with a lower number of PE lessons. The factors identified in this study could be targeted in future interventions.

Keywords: children; sedentary lifestyle; preschool; socioecological model; socioeconomic status (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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