Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2013 Nov 5:10:123.
doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-10-123.

Early childhood predictors of toddlers' physical activity: longitudinal findings from the Melbourne InFANT Program

Jill Hnatiuk  1 , Jo Salmon, Karen J Campbell, Nicola D Ridgers, Kylie D Hesketh
Affiliations

Early childhood predictors of toddlers' physical activity: longitudinal findings from the Melbourne InFANT Program

Jill Hnatiuk et al. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. .

Abstract

Background: Young children are at risk of not meeting physical activity recommendations. Identifying factors from the first year of life which influence toddlers' physical activity levels may help to develop targeted intervention strategies. The purpose of this study was to examine early childhood predictors of toddlers' physical activity across the domains of maternal beliefs and behaviours, infant behaviours and the home environment.

Methods: Data from 206 toddlers (53% male) participating in the Melbourne InFANT Program were collected in 2008-2010 and analysed in 2012. Mothers completed a survey of physical activity predictors when their child was 4- (T1) and 9- months old (T2). Physical activity was assessed by ActiGraph GT1M accelerometers at 19- months (T3) of age.

Results: One infant behaviour at T1 and one maternal belief and two infant behaviours at T2 showed associations with physical activity at T3 and were included in multivariate analyses. After adjusting for the age at which the child started walking and maternal education, the time spent with babies of a similar age at 4-months (β = 0.06, 95% CI [0.02, 0.10]) and the time spent being physically active with their mother at 9-months (β = 0.06, 95% CI [0.01, 0.12]) predicted children's physical activity at 19-months of age.

Conclusions: Promotion of peer-interactions and maternal-child co-participation in physical activity could serve as a health promotion strategy to increase physical activity in young children. Future research is required to identify other early life predictors not assessed in this study and to examine whether these factors predict physical activity in later life stages.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Atkin L-M, Davies PS. Diet composition and body composition in preschool children. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;72:15–21. - PubMed
    1. Janz KF, Levy SM, Burns TL, Torner JC, Willing MC, Warren JJ. Fatness, Physical Activity, and Television Viewing in Children during the Adiposity Rebound Period: The Iowa Bone Development Study. Prev Med. 2002;35:563–571. doi: 10.1006/pmed.2002.1113. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Metallinos-Katsaras ES, Freedson PS, Fulton JE, Sherry B. The Association Between an Objective Measure of Physical Activity and Weight Status in Preschoolers. Obesity. 2007;15:686–694. doi: 10.1038/oby.2007.571. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Trost SG, Sirard JR, Dowda M, Pfeiffer KA, Pate RR. Physical activity in overweight and nonoverweight preschool children. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003;27:834–839. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0802311. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Saakslahti A, Numminen P, Niinikoski H, Rask-Nissila L, Viikari J, Tuominen J, Valimaki I. Is physical activity related to body size, fundamental motor skills, and CHD risk factors in early childhood? Pediatr Exerc Sci. 1999;11:327–340.

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources