Use of Wearable Devices to Study Physical Activity in Early Childhood Education

Gema Díaz-Quesada, Cecilia Bahamonde-Pérez, José María Giménez-Egido and Gema Torres-Luque
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Gema Díaz-Quesada: Faculty of Humanities and Education Sciences, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain
Cecilia Bahamonde-Pérez: Department of Physical Education, Campus Joaquín Cabezas García (DEFDER), Metropolitan University of Educational Sciences, Santiago 2765, Chile
José María Giménez-Egido: Department of Physical Activity and Sport, Faculty of Sport Science, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, 30720 Murcia, Spain
Gema Torres-Luque: Faculty of Humanities and Education Sciences, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 24, 1-12

Abstract: Physical activity recommendations for early childhood are gradually being met to a lesser extent today. The objectives of the study were: (i) to assess the degree of compliance with physical activity (PA) recommendations by gender; and (ii) to analyze the level of PA and steps in different periods over a week. This study was an observational cross-sectional study. Sixty-three young children (33 boys and 30 girls) aged two years (2.15 ± 0.35) were recruited for this study. Participants wore a “Garmin vivofit ® jr.” activity tracker for seven days, collecting minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and step volume (Out-of-School Time and School Time). The results show a 50% compliance of the 120 min/day MVPA and 13,000 steps per day. No gender differences were detected. The findings in the analysis indicated a trend towards higher PA and steps at the Weekend. Moreover, participants reached higher PA and steps values “Out-of-School Time” than “School Time” (MVPA) (min/day). This study can provide strategies and motivational PA guidelines at school to enhance well-being at an early age. These activity trackers could stimulate more sustainable forms of urban mobility, such as walking, as the environment would accompany the child to meet daily PA recommendations.

Keywords: childhood; education; wearable technology; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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