Abstract
The purposes of this study were to examine the relationship between accelerometer-derived
physical activity (PA) in preschoolers and their parents, and to investigate other
potential child and parental associates of child PA. Families of children aged 2–5
yrs were recruited in Auckland, New Zealand, from October 2006 to July 2007. Consenting
children and parents had their height, weight, and waist circumference measured and
were asked to wear accelerometers over 7 consecutive days, measuring PA in 15 s epochs. Accelerometer data were gathered from 78 children, 62 mothers and 20 fathers
over a median of 6.5–7 days, and converted to estimated daily PA rates for each individual
using negative binomial generalised estimating equation (GEE) modelling. Potential
associates of children's daily PA rates were then assessed using normal GEE models
with exchangeable correlation structures. After taking account of all factors in the
final multivariable model, parental PA rates (coefficient 0.09, 95% CI 0.03, 0.16,
P = 0.01) and child age (coefficient 0.11, 95% CI 0.01, 0.21, P = 0.03) were the only factors significantly associated with child PA rates. Younger
children may stand to benefit from PA intervention, and encouraging parental involvement
in preschool PA interventions may be useful for increasing PA levels in young children.
More work in this field is needed to corroborate these findings, improve generalisability,
and determine causality.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 30, 2009
Accepted:
May 18,
2009
Received in revised form:
May 18,
2009
Received:
December 6,
2008
Identification
Copyright
© 2009 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
