Background: Little is known about physical activity (PA) in young children and about the relationship between their PA and that of their parents.
Objective: The main purpose of the present study (Y-Be-Active) was to examine the daily PA levels of young children and their parents, and to explore the relationship between children's and parents' PA.
Method: Fifty-four children (mean age 4.3 years) and their parents (54 mothers, mean age 35.8 years; 50 fathers, mean age 38.2 years) wore accelerometers for three weekdays and two weekend days. Parents also completed questionnaires on family sociodemographics and PA habits.
Results: Children spent most of their time in light PA. Almost all children attained 30 min of daily moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), and most boys and girls attained 60 min of daily MVPA on weekdays. Only 60% of fathers and approximately one-half of mothers attained 30 min of daily MVPA on weekdays and weekend days. Children's and fathers' PA were correlated on weekends. Few parents (20% to 30%) participated regularly in organised PA with their child. Fathers' involvement in PA with their children was associated with higher MVPA in children.
Conclusions: Many young children and parents did not meet current Canadian recommendations for daily PA. Parental involvement in PA with their young children, particularly the involvement of fathers, appeared to promote higher levels of MVPA in young children.
Background: Little is known about physical activity (PA) in young children and about the relationship between their PA and that of their parents.
Objective: The main purpose of the present study (Y-Be-Active) was to examine the daily PA levels of young children and their parents, and to explore the relationship between children’s and parents’ PA.
Method: Fifty-four children (mean age 4.3 years) and their parents (54 mothers, mean age 35.8 years; 50 fathers, mean age 38.2 years) wore accelerometers for three weekdays and two weekend days. Parents also completed questionnaires on family sociodemographics and PA habits.
Results: Children spent most of their time in light PA. Almost all children attained 30 min of daily moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), and most boys and girls attained 60 min of daily MVPA on weekdays. Only 60% of fathers and approximately one-half of mothers attained 30 min of daily MVPA on weekdays and weekend days. Children’s and fathers’ PA were correlated on weekends. Few parents (20% to 30%) participated regularly in organised PA with their child. Fathers’ involvement in PA with their children was associated with higher MVPA in children.
Conclusions: Many young children and parents did not meet current Canadian recommendations for daily PA. Parental involvement in PA with their young children, particularly the involvement of fathers, appeared to promote higher levels of MVPA in young children.
Historique: On ne sait pas grand-chose de l’activité physique (AP) chez les jeunes enfants et de la relation entre leur AP et celle de leurs parents.
Objectif: Le principal objectif de la présente étude (Y-Be-Active) consistait à examiner le taux d’AP quotidienne des jeunes enfants et de leurs parents, ainsi qu’à explorer la relation entre l’AP des enfants et celle des parents.
Méthodologie: Cinquante-quatre enfants (âge moyen de 4,3 ans) et leurs parents (54 mères : âge moyen de 35,8 ans; 50 pères : âge moyen de 38,2 ans) ont porté des accéléromètres pendant trois jours de semaine et deux jours de fin de semaine. Les parents ont également rempli des questionnaires sur les caractéristiques sociodémographiques et les habitudes en matière d’AP de leur famille.
Résultats: Les enfants passaient la plupart de leur temps en AP légère. Presque tous les enfants parvenaient à 30 minutes d’activité physique d’intensité modérée à vigoureuse (APMV) quotidienne, et la plupart des garçons et des filles faisaient 60 minutes d’APMV quotidienne les jours de semaine. Seulement 60 % des pères et environ la moitié des mères faisaient 30 minutes d’APMV quotidienne la semaine et la fin de semaine. L’AP des enfants et des pères était corrélée la fin de semaine. Peu de parents (20 % à 30 %) participaient régulièrement à des AP organisées avec leur enfant. La participation des pères à l’AP avec leurs enfants s’associait à une APMV plus élevée chez les enfants.
Conclusions: De nombreux jeunes enfants et leurs parents ne respectaient pas les recommandations canadiennes actuelles en matière d’AP quotidienne. La participation des parents à l’AP avec leurs jeunes enfants, notamment celle des pères, semblait promouvoir de plus forts taux d’APMV chez les jeunes enfants.
Keywords: Parents; Physical activity; Young children.