Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Time of Suburban Toddlers Aged 12–36 Months

Louise A. Kelly, Allan Knox, Carlos Gonzalez, Patrick Lennartz, Jordan Hildebrand, Blake Carney, Spencer Wendt, Rebecca Haas and Mason D. Hill
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Louise A. Kelly: Exercise Science Department, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA 93065, USA
Allan Knox: Exercise Science Department, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA 93065, USA
Carlos Gonzalez: Exercise Science Department, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA 93065, USA
Patrick Lennartz: Exercise Science Department, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA 93065, USA
Jordan Hildebrand: Biology Department, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA 93065, USA
Blake Carney: Exercise Science Department, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA 93065, USA
Spencer Wendt: Exercise Science Department, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA 93065, USA
Rebecca Haas: Exercise Science Department, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA 93065, USA
Mason D. Hill: Exercise Science Department, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA 93065, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 11, 1-9

Abstract: Low levels of physical activity may predispose children to the development of obesity and related chronic diseases in later life. The aims of this study were as follows: (1) quantitatively describe the levels of habitual physical activity in a contemporary sample of suburban children aged 12 to 36 months; (2) assess for gender differences in physical activity and sedentary behavior; (3) examine the specific effects of ethnicity, gender and overweight status on the objectively measured physical activity; and (4) quantify the tracking of physical activity in a subset of children over 1 year. During year one, 142 participants wore the GT3X Actigraph for 3 days. At a 1-year follow-up, a subset of 25 participants wore the Actigraph for 7 consecutive days. GLM and t -tests as appropriate were carried out to assess the influence of gender on the physical activity level. Spearman rank correlations, percentage agreement and kappa statistics assessed the tracking of physical activity. The results showed no significant gender differences in any anthropometric measurements, sedentary behavior or MVPA ( p > 0.05). There were also no significant gender, ethnicity or overweight interaction for sedentary behavior, time spent in light PA and time spent in MVPA ( p > 0.05). For tracking, there was a moderate strength of agreement for MVPA. Considering the disproportionate effects of obesity in minority groups, culturally appropriate interventions targeting the reduction in sedentary behavior are urgently required.

Keywords: pediatric; physical activity; sedentary behavior; ethnicity; tracking; Hispanic; African American (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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