Environmental correlates of sedentary behaviors and physical activity in Chinese preschool children: A cross-sectional study

Congchao Lu; Tong Shen; Guowei Huang; Eva Corpeleijn

doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2020.02.010

Environmental correlates of sedentary behaviors and physical activity in Chinese preschool children: A cross-sectional study

J Sport Health Sci. 2022 Sep;11(5):620-629. doi: 10.1016/j.jshs.2020.02.010. Epub 2020 Apr 28.

Authors

Congchao Lu¹, Tong Shen², Guowei Huang³, Eva Corpeleijn⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China; Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, 9700 RB, the Netherlands; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Center for International Collaborative Research on Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin 300070, China. Electronic address: lvcongchao@tmu.edu.cn.
² Tianjin University Kindergarten, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
³ Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Center for International Collaborative Research on Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin 300070, China; Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China.
⁴ Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, 9700 RB, the Netherlands.

Abstract

Objective: This cross-sectional study examined environmental correlates of sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) in preschool children in the urban area of Tianjin, China.

Methods: Data were collected from the Physical Activity and Health in Tianjin Chinese Children study, involving healthy children 3-6 years old and their families. In all children (n = 980), leisure-time SB (LTSB) and leisure-time PA (LTPA) were reported in min/day by parents. In a subgroup (n = 134), overall sedentary time, light PA, and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) were objectively measured using ActiGraph accelerometry (≥3 days, ≥10 h/day). Environmental correlates were collected using a questionnaire that included home and neighborhood characteristics (e.g., traffic safety, presence of physical activity facilities) and children's behaviors. Potential correlates were identified using linear regression analysis.

Results: Multiple linear regression analysis showed that "having grandparents as primary caregivers" (βs and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) for overall sedentary time: 29.7 (2.1-57.2); LTSB (ln): 0.19 (0.11-0.28)) and "having a television (for LTSB (ln): 0.13 (0.00-0.25)) or computer (for LTSB (ln): 0.13 (0.03-0.23)) in the child's bedroom" were both associated with higher SB. Furthermore, "having grandparents as primary caregivers" was associated with less MVPA (β (95%CI): -7.6 (-14.1 to -1.2)), and "active commuting to school by walking" correlated with more MVPA (β (95%CI): 9.8 (2.2-17.4)). The path model showed that "more neighborhood PA facilities close to home" was indirectly related to higher LTPA (ln), which was partly mediated by "outdoor play" (path coefficients (95%CI): 0.005 (0.002-0.008)) and "going to these facilities more often" (path coefficients (95%CI): 0.013 (0.008-0.018)). Traffic safety was not a correlate.

Conclusion: Family structure and media exposure in the home maybe important factors in shaping preschoolers' PA patterns. Built environmental correlates could indirectly influence preschoolers' LTPA through parental help with engaging in active behaviors.

Keywords: Active commuting; Built environment; Family structure; Media exposure; Traffic safety.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Accelerometry
Child
Child, Preschool
Cross-Sectional Studies
Exercise*
Health Behavior
Humans
Sedentary Behavior*