Preschoolers may not be getting enough exercise while attending preschool, according to a new study. The reported concluded children take part in little physical activity while learning to participate in school.
Many health care professionals recommend that preschoolers participate in physical activities for 120 minutes - 2 hours - per day. This should include 60 minutes of teacher-led physical instruction, and the same amount of free-form exercise, according to accepted best-practice guidelines. The youngsters were found to be most active during unstructured periods.
However, a new study shows children receive just 48 minutes a day to run and play during preschool hours. Children also did not participate in physical activities during much of this time, reducing total activity levels even lower, researchers found.
"Children need daily opportunities for physical activity not only for optimal weight status but because physical activity promotes numerous aspects of health, development and well-being," said Pooja S. Tandon from Seattle Children's Research Institute.
A total of 98 children with an average age of four years and six months, attending 10 child care centers were examined over the course of four days at each facility. Children were equipped with accelerometers to objectively measure physical activity during active play opportunities (APO's). Researchers then categorized time spent by children into six levels of exertion.
They found 73 percent of the activities in which children engaged were sedentary, 13 percent were lightly active, and 14 percent were classified as moderate-vigorous.
A second companion study showed that children and teens did not receive as much physical activity during dance classes as those taking part in sports.
"One of the things that might surprise parents about the results of this study is you can't just assume if you sign your child up for an activity-related program that they're getting enough activity," James F. Sallis from the San Diego State University Research Foundation said.
Researchers hope this study will serve as a means of raising awareness among child care centers that physical activity needs to be an integral part of preschool. They recommend that parents attend classes in which their children are enrolled to see first-hand how much exercise their youngsters are receiving during the day.
Some centers claim to not have the space for more physical activity, or cite safety concerns or a preference for stressing academics over physical playtime as reasons children are not receiving more exercise. However, researchers say none of these reasons are insurmountable barriers to providing children with additional exercise.
Analysis of the physical activity levels of preschoolers while attending childcare facilities was profiled in the journal Pediatrics.
Photo: Peter and Joyce Grace | Flickr
