© Borgis - New Medicine 1/2014, s. 3-11
*Wojciech Chalcarz, Sylwia Merkiel
Analysis of physical activity in preschool children from Piła. Part 1. Ordinary and additional physical activity and favourite ways of spending leisure time**
Food and Nutrition Department of the Eugeniusz Piasecki University School of Physical Education in Poznań, Poland
Head of the Department: prof. dr hab. Wojciech Chalcarz
Summary
Aim. The aim of this study was to analyse ordinary and additional physical activity in preschool children from Piła and to investigate their favourite ways of spending leisure time.
Material and methods. Parents of 165 preschoolers from Piła filled in questionnaires on general information about their children and their families, the children’s ordinary and additional physical activity, and their favourite ways of spending leisure time. Statistical analysis was performed by the IBM SPSS Statistics 21 computer programme. The studied population was divided according to gender.
Results. Gender had statistically significant influence on parents’ answers to the questions about familial osteoporosis and about their opinion on their children’s body weight, as well as the percentages of children who preferred playing with a ball and rollerblading/roller skating during sunny weather and drawing/painting, playing with building blocks, playing computer games, playing with dolls and playing with toy cars during rainy weather.
Conclusions. In comparison to the previously studied preschool children from other regions of Poland, the studied preschoolers from Piła were characterised by reduced ordinary and additional physical activity. To reverse these unfavourable changes, it is necessary to educate preschoolers’ parents, preschool staff and local authorities about the possibilities of increasing the children’s physical activity and reducing their time spent in a passive way. Children, irrespective of gender, should be encouraged to various kinds of physical activity.
INTRODUCTION
Although it has been as many as 33 years since the first Polish publication which emphasised the importance of physical activity in maintaining preschool children’s health (1), this problem not only remains, but has become one of the main issues in the area of public health. Both our studies on preschool children (2-8) and studies carried out in other countries (9-13) indicate that preschoolers’ physical activity is decreasing while the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents is increasing (14-17).
Decreased physical activity in preschool children is one of the cause of their unwillingness to take part in physical education classes when they move to school. This problem was raised in the Polish Supreme Audit Office report published recently (18). Therefore, it is necessary to monitor physical activity in preschool children from various regions of Poland and to undertake intervention programmes as quickly as possible.
AIM
The aim of this study was to analyse ordinary and additional physical activity in preschool children from Piła and to investigate their favourite ways of spending leisure time.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Parents of 165 preschoolers, including 79 girls and 86 boys aged 3 to 6 years who attended preschools in Piła, were asked to fill in questionnaires on general information about their children and their families, health status of the children and their families, the children’s ordinary and additional physical activity (the way of going to preschool and coming back home, active ways of spending time at preschool and outside preschool, passive ways of spending leisure time outside preschool), as well as the children’s favourite ways of spending leisure time during sunny and rainy weather. The questions included in the questionnaires were used in our previous studies (4-7).
The study was approved by the Bioethics Committee of the Poznan University of Medical Sciences. Parents were informed during a special meeting about the methods of the research and provided written consent to participate. The study was carried out in September/October 2010.
Statistical analysis was performed by the IBM SPSS Statistics 21 computer programme. The studied population was divided according to gender. Quantitative variables were first analysed using the Shapiro-Wilk statistic for testing normality. The level of significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. For all the analysed quantitative variables, means and standard deviations were calculated (x ± sd). To investigate statistically significant differences between subgroups, the unpaired Student’s t test for normally distributed variables and the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test for skewed variables were used. The level of significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. Qualitative variables were presented in contingency tables. Statistical significance was determined using Pearson’s chi-square test, except for the variables with 2 x 2 tables with an expected frequency of less than five in at least one subgroup for at least one answer. In this case, Yates’ corrected chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test was used. The level of significance was set at P ≤ 0.05.
RESULTS
Characteristics of the studied population
Tables 1 to 3 present, respectively, general information about the studied preschool children from Piła and their families, health status of the studied preschool children and their families, and parents’ opinion on their children’s body weight and health status according to gender. Children’s gender had statistically significant influence on parents’ answers to the questions about familial osteoporosis and about their opinion on their children’s body weight.
Table 1. General information about the studied preschool children and their families.
| No. | Parameter | Girls
(n = 79) | Boys
(n = 86) | All children
(n = 165) | P |
| 1. | Child’s age [years] | x ± sd | 5.1 ± 1.0 | 5.1 ± 1.0 | 5.1 ± 1.0 | NS |
| 2. | Mother’s age [years] | x ± sd | 31.0 ± 4.7 | 32.3 ± 5.1 | 31.7 ± 5.0 | NS |
| 3. | Father’s age [years] | x ± sd | 33.6 ±4.8 | 34.3 ± 5.6 | 34.0 ± 5.2 | NS |
| 4. | Mother’s education [%] | Vocational | 9.0 | 4.7 | 6.7 | NS |
| Secondary | 39.7 | 50.0 | 45.1 |
| Higher | 51.3 | 45.3 | 48.2 |
| 5. | Father’s education [%] | Primary | 2.7 | 0.0 | 1.3 | NS |
| Vocational | 14.7 | 22.4 | 18.8 |
| Secondary | 52.0 | 44.7 | 48.1 |
| Higher | 30.7 | 32.9 | 31.9 |
| 6. | Parents’ assessment of the economic status of the family [%] | Very good | 12.8 | 9.4 | 11.0 | NS |
| Good | 51.3 | 52.9 | 52.1 |
| Average | 32.1 | 35.3 | 33.7 |
| Bad | 3.8 | 2.4 | 3.1 |
| 7. | Number of children in the family [%] | One | 45.6 | 39.5 | 42.4 | NS |
| Two | 46.8 | 47.7 | 47.3 |
| Three | 5.1 | 11.6 | 8.5 |
| Four | 2.5 | 1.2 | 1.8 |
| 8. | The sequence of the child in the family [%] | First | 68.4 | 67.9 | 68.1 | NS |
| Second | 27.8 | 26.2 | 27.0 |
| Third | 2.5 | 4.8 | 3.7 |
| Fourth | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
x ± sd – mean ± standard deviation
P – significance; NS – not significant (P > 0.05)
Table 2. Health status of the studied preschool children and their families.
| No. | Parameter | Girls
(n = 79) | Boys
(n = 86) | All children
(n = 165) | P |
| 1. | Birth weight [kg]* | 3.3 ± 0.5 | 3.4 ± 0.5 | 3.3 ± 0.5 | NS |
| 2. | Food allergies [%] | 11.4 | 7.0 | 9.1 | NS |
| 3. | Other allergies [%] | 13.9 | 17.4 | 15.8 | NS |
| 4. | Taking medicines by the child [%] | 23.1 | 33.7 | 28.7 | NS |
| 5. | Following a special diet by the child due to health problems [%] | 2.5 | 0.0 | 1.2 | NS |
| 6. | Familial myocardial infarction [%] | 39.2 | 29.1 | 33.9 | NS |
| 7. | Familial hyperlipidaemia [%] | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.4 | NS |
| 8. | Familial hypertension [%] | 60.8 | 67.4 | 64.2 | NS |
| 9. | Familial cancer [%] | 38.0 | 36.0 | 37.0 | NS |
| 10. | Familial obesity [%] | 25.3 | 24.4 | 24.8 | NS |
| 11. | Familial diabetes [%] | 50.6 | 47.7 | 49.1 | NS |
| 12. | Familial osteoporosis [%] | 6.3 | 16.3 | 11.5 | 0.045 |
*x ± sd – mean ± standard deviation
P – significance; NS – not significant (P > 0.05).
Table 3. Parents’ opinion on their children’s body weight and health status [%].
| No. | Parameter | Girls
(n = 79) | Boys
(n = 86) | All children
(n = 165) | P |
| 1. | Parents’ opinion on their children’s body weight | Underweight | 12.7 | 3.6 | 8.0 | 0.051 |
| Adequate body weight | 83.5 | 95.2 | 89.6 |
| Obesity | 3.8 | 1.2 | 2.5 |
| 2. | Parents’ opinion on their children’s health status | Good | 91.1 | 88.2 | 89.6 | NS |
| Not good | 0.0 | 4.7 | 2.4 |
| I don’t know | 8.9 | 7.1 | 7.9 |
P – significance; NS – not significant (P > 0.05).
Statistically significantly higher percentage of the parents of boys compared to the parents of girls reported familial osteoporosis, 16.3% vs 6.3%, and assessed their child’s body weight as adequate, 95.2% vs 83.5%, whereas statistically significantly higher percentage of the parents of girls compared to the parents of boys claimed that their child was underweight, 12.7% vs 3.6%, or obese, 3.8% vs 1.2%.
Ordinary and additional physical activity
Powyżej zamieściliśmy fragment artykułu, do którego możesz uzyskać pełny dostęp.
Mam kod dostępu
- Aby uzyskać płatny dostęp do pełnej treści powyższego artykułu albo wszystkich artykułów (w zależności od wybranej opcji), należy wprowadzić kod.
- Wprowadzając kod, akceptują Państwo treść Regulaminu oraz potwierdzają zapoznanie się z nim.
- Aby kupić kod proszę skorzystać z jednej z poniższych opcji.
Opcja #1
19 zł
Wybieram
- dostęp do tego artykułu
- dostęp na 7 dni
uzyskany kod musi być wprowadzony na stronie artykułu, do którego został wykupiony
Opcja #2
49 zł
Wybieram
- dostęp do tego i pozostałych ponad 7000 artykułów
- dostęp na 30 dni
- najpopularniejsza opcja
Opcja #3
119 zł
Wybieram
- dostęp do tego i pozostałych ponad 7000 artykułów
- dostęp na 90 dni
- oszczędzasz 28 zł
Piśmiennictwo
1. Kopczyńska-Sikorska J: Znaczenie aktywności fizycznej w ochronie zdrowia dziecka w wieku przedszkolnym. Pediatr Pol 1981; 56(5): 561-564. 2. Chalcarz W, Hodyr Z: Ocena sposobu żywienia, stanu odżywienia i aktywności ruchowej dzieci w wieku przedszkolnym. Materiały IX Międzynarodowej Konferencji Naukowej: Dziecko w środowisku zagrożonym ekologicznie. Legnica 2-3 czerwca 2000 roku, 72-79. 3. Chalcarz W, Radzimirska-Graczyk M, Dulat D: Sposób żywienia i aktywność ruchowa dzieci w wieku przedszkolnym z różnych regionów Polski. Materiały X Jubileuszowej Międzynarodowej Konferencji Naukowej: Uwarunkowania środowiskowe zdrowia dzieci. Legnica, 1-2 czerwca 2001 roku, 53-59. 4. Chalcarz W, Merkiel S: Charakterystyka aktywności ruchowej nowosądeckich dzieci w wieku przedszkolnym. Med Sport [Polish J Sport Med] 2005; 21(6): 425-431. 5. Chalcarz W, Merkiel S, Pach D, Lasak Ż: Charakterystyka aktywności fizycznej poznańskich dzieci w wieku przedszkolnym. Physical activity in preschool children from Poznań. Med Sport [Polish J Sport Med] 2008; 24(5): 318-329. 6. Merkiel S, Chalcarz W, Deptuła M: Porównanie aktywności fizycznej oraz ulubionych form spędzania czasu wolnego dziewczynek i chłopców w wieku przedszkolnym z województwa mazowieckiego. Rocz Panstw Zakl Hig 2011; 62(1): 93-99. 7. Merkiel S, Chalcarz W, Roszak M: Analiza aktywności fizycznej dzieci w wieku przedszkolnym z Darłowa. Część I. Zwykła i dodatkowa aktywność fizyczna oraz ulubione formy spędzania czasu wolnego. Med Rodz 2014; 17(1): 3-11. 8. Merkiel S, Chalcarz W, Roszak M: Analiza aktywności fizycznej dzieci w wieku przedszkolnym z Darłowa. Część II. Umiejętności ruchowe, sprzęt sportowo-rekreacyjny oraz postawy rodziców wobec aktywności fizycznej. Med Rodz 2014; 17(1): 12-18. 9. Benjamin SE, Haines J, Ball SC, Ward DS: Improving nutrition and physical activity in child care: What parents recommend. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008; 108(11): 1907-11. 10. Jones R, Wells M, Okely A et al.: Is an online healthy lifestyles program acceptable for parents of preschool children? Nutr Diet 2011; 68: 149-154. 11. Sharma S, Ru-Jye Chuang, Hedberg AM: Pilot-testing CATCH Early Childhood: A Preschool-based Healthy Nutrition and Physical Activity Program. Am J Health Educ 2011; 42(1): 12-23. 12. Kordi R, Nourian R, Ghayour M, Kordi M, Younesian A: Development and evaluation of a basic physical and sports activity program for preschool children in nursery schools in Iran: an interventional study. Iran J Pediatr. 2012; 22(3): 357-363. 13. Tremblay L, Boudreau-Larivière C, Cimon-Lambert K: Promoting Physical Activity in Preschoolers: A Review of the Guidelines, Barriers, and Facilitators for Implementation of Policies and Practices. Can Psychol 2012; 53(4): 280-290. 14. Kułaga Z. Epidemiologia nadwagi i otyłości wśród dzieci i młodzieży w Polsce. http://www.pzh.gov.pl/page/fileadmin/user_upload/aktualnosci/24.10.2012/Zbigniew%20Ku%B3aga%20nadwaga%20i%20oty%B3o%9Cc%20w%9Cr%F3d%20dzieci_CZD_24.10.2012.pdf; accessed 5th January 2014. 15. Brown RE, Willis TA, Aspinall N et al.: Preventing child obesity: a long-term evaluation of the HENRY approach. Community Pract 2013; 86(7): 23-27. 16. Carter D: U.S. Obesity: some good news, some bad: a more comprehensive approach is called for. Am J Nurs. 2013; 113(11):17. 17. Silveira JA, Colugnati FA, Cocetti M, Taddei JA: Secular trends and factors associated with overweight among Brazilian preschool children: PNSN-1989, PNDS-1996, and 2006/07. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2013; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2013.09.003. 18. NIK. Informacja o wynikach kontroli: wychowanie fizyczne i sport w szkołach publicznych i niepublicznych. KNO-4101-06-00/2012. Nr ewid. 108/2013/P/12/067/KNO. Warszawa 2013. 19. Waddell L: Living with food allergy. J Fam Health Care. 2011; 21(4): 21-28. 20. Crowley ET, Williams LT, Brown LJ: How do mothers juggle the special dietary needs of one child while feeding the family? A qualitative exploration. Nutr Diet 2012; 69(4): 272-277. 21. Chalcarz W: Koncepcja nauczania zasad żywienia w profilaktyce chorób cywilizacyjnych. Nowa Szkoła 1991; 47, 330-332. 22. Lewicki C: Czynniki determinujące przebieg, jakość i efekty wychowania zdrowotnego dzieci 6-11-letnich w rodzinie. Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Rzeszowskiego, Rzeszów 2005. 23. van der Ploeg HP, Merom D, Corpuz G, Bauman AE: Trends in Australian children traveling to school 1971-2003: burning petrol or carbohydrates? Prev Med 2008; 46(1): 60-2. Epub 2007 Jun 7. 24. Cooper AR, Andersen LB, Wedderkopp N, Page AS, Froberg K: Physical activity levels of children who walk, cycle, or are driven to school. Am J Prev Med 2005; 29(3): 179-184. 25. van Cauwenberghe E, Labarque V, Gubbels J et al.: Preschooler’s physical activity levels and associations with lesson context, teacher’s behavior, and environment during preschool physical education. Early Childhood Research Quarterly 2012; 27(2): 221-230. 26. Ożdziński J, Chalcarz W: Zdrowie przez wychowanie fizyczne i sport. Wychow Fiz Zdr 1994; 4: 193-197. 27. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Midcourse Report Subcommittee of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Midcourse Report: Strategies to Increase Physical Activity Among Youth. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012. 28. The British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity and Health (BHFNC). Physical activity guidelines for the early years. http://www.bhfactive.org.uk/earlyyearsguidelines/index.html; accessed 3rd January 2014. 29. Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines and Canadian Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines. Your Plan to Get Active Every Day. Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. www.csep.ca/guidelines; accessed 3rd January 2014. 30. Owens J, Maxim R, McGuinn M, Nobile C, Msall M, Alario A: Television-viewing habits and sleep disturbance in school children. Pediatrics 1999; 104(3): 1-8. 31. Manios Y, Kourlaba G, Kondaki K et al.: Obesity and television watching in preschoolers in Greece: The GENESIS study. Obes (Siver Spring). 2009; 17(11): 2047-53. 32. Zimmerman FJ, Bell JF. Associations of television content type and obesity in children. Am J Public Health. 2010; 100(2): 334-40. 33. Cox R, Skouteris H, Rutherford L et al.: Television viewing, television content, food intake, physical activity and body mass index: a cross-sectional study of preschool children aged 2-6 years. Health Promot J Austr 2012; 23(1): 58-62. 34. Pagani LS, Fitzpatrick C, Barnett TA, Dubow E: Prospective associations between early childhood television exposure and academic, psychosocial, and physical well-being by middle childhood. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2010; 164(5): 425-431. 35. Janz KF, Burns TL, Levy SM: Tracking of activity and sedentary behaviors in childhood: The Iowa Bone Development Study. Am J Prev Med 2005; 29(3): 171-178. 36. Tremblay MS, Leblanc AG, Carson V et al.: Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology: Canadian Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for the Early Years (aged 0-4 years). Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2012; 37(2): 370-391. Epub 2012 Mar 27. 37. Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. (2012). Canadian sedentary behaviors guidelines for children (aged 5?–11 years). Retrieved from http://www.csep.ca/guidelines. 38. Hinkley T, Crawford D, Salmon J et al.: Preschool children and physical activity: a review of correlates. Am J Prev Med 2008; 34(5): 435-441.
39. Dwyer J, Needham L, Simpson JR, Heeney ES: Parents report intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental barriers to supporting healthy eating and physical activity among their preschoolers. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2008; 33(2): 338-346. 40. Haerens L, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Eiben G et al.: Formative research to develop the IDEFICS physical activity intervention component: findings from focus groups with children and parents. J Phys Act Health. 2010; 7(2): 246-256. 41. Hesketh KD, Hinkley T, Campbell KJ: Children’s physical activity and screen time: qualitative comparison of views of parents of infants and preschool children. IJBNPA 2012; 9:152. 42. Thorne B: Gender Play: Girls and Boys in School. NJ: Rutgers University Press. New Brunswick 1993. 43. Nielsen G, Pfister G, Andersen LB: Gender differences in the daily physical activities of Danish school children. EPER 2011; 17(1): 69-90.
