Associations between Parent–Child Nature Visits and Sleep, Physical Activity and Weight Status among Finnish 3–6-Year-Olds

Juuli-Mari Kokkonen, Henna Vepsäläinen, Anna Abdollahi, Hanna Paasio, Samuli Ranta, Maijaliisa Erkkola, Eva Roos and Carola Ray
Additional contact information
Juuli-Mari Kokkonen: Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland
Henna Vepsäläinen: Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Anna Abdollahi: Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland
Hanna Paasio: Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland
Samuli Ranta: School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education, Philosophical Faculty, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland
Maijaliisa Erkkola: Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Eva Roos: Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland
Carola Ray: Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 23, 1-11

Abstract: Nature visits and nature exposure have been shown to be favorably associated with children’s health and development, but the research regarding their associations with children’s lifestyle habits is limited. The current study aimed to investigate the associations between the frequency of parent–child nature visits and sleep, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and weight status among three- to six-year-old Finnish preschoolers. Parents and their children (n = 864) participated in a cross-sectional DAGIS (increased health and wellbeing in preschools) study, which was conducted between 2015 and 2016 in Finland. In total, 798 parents answered a questionnaire on the frequency of parent–child nature visits, which also included questions on sociodemographic factors and their children’s sleep habits. Parents also reported children’s bedtimes and wake-up times and children wore an accelerometer for seven days. Trained researchers measured children’s weight and height. Linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted. More frequent parent–child nature visits were associated with children’s longer sleep duration at night, higher amounts of MVPA outside preschool time and, among girls, good sleep consistency. The frequency of parent–child nature visits was not significantly associated with whether children were overweight or obese or not. Promoting parent–child nature visits could be a cost-effective way to increase young children’s MVPA and enhance night-time sleep.

Keywords: outdoor visits; sleep consistency; recreation; actigraph; overweight; young children (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:23:p:12426-:d:688222

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