Physical activity patterns by objective measurements in preschoolers from China

ABSTRACT Introduction: This cross-sectional study aims to describe the objectively measured sedentary time (ST) and physical activity (PA) patterns of preschool children during the day, and to compare these patterns between non-overweight and overweight children. Methods: Healthy children aged 3–6 years were recruited from urban preschools in Tianjin, China. Light PA (LPA), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), and ST of children were measured using ActiGraph accelerometry (at least 3 wearing days, more than 10 hours per day). Multiple adjusted, generally linear mixed models were used for statistical analysis. Results: The time children (n = 134) spent in MVPA was 50.5 ± 17.1 minutes/day, and there were 28% of the children met the PA recommendation of one hour MVPA per day. Children were less active during recess (12:00–14:00) and afternoon (14:00–17:00), and more active during late afternoon (17:00–18:00) and evening (18:00–21:00). Between active and less active children, the difference of MVPA was highest in the evening (4.1 min/hour) and on weekends/holidays (42.7 min/day). Overweight children were more sedentary overall (44.6 minutes/day) compared to non-overweight children. Conclusion: Chinese preschoolers have low levels of PA, especially during school days. Enhancing PA both in school and the home environment should be taken into consideration to prevent childhood obesity.