Description of physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep in Chilean children
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v71.111430Keywords:
Accelerometry, Physical Activity, Sleep, Sedentary BehaviorAbstract
Introduction: early childhood is a critical period for the development of behavioral patterns and healthy habits. In Chile, the prevalence of overnutrition reaches 34.4% in children under 6 years old, associated with factors such as low physical activity (PA), high sedentary behavior (SB), and sleep disturbances.
Objective: to analyze levels of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep in children aged 1 to 5 years and determine the association between these outcomes.
Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional study assessed PA, SB, and sleep in 55 children aged 1 to 5 years from the Biobío region using accelerometry, complemented by parental surveys on screen use.
Results: both age groups met the criteria for light PA; however, children aged 3 to 5 years did not achieve the recommended 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Average SB time was high (333 minutes/day), significantly exceeding international recommendations. Total sleep time was below recommended levels, particularly among children aged 1 to 2 years, with no significant differences by sex. A total of 44.7% of children had a television in their bedroom, which increases screen use and potentially affects sleep. A moderately negative association was found between PA and CS, and a weakly negative association was found between MVPA and daily sleep time and daytime sleep time.
Conclusion: these findings highlight the need for integrated strategies to promote moderate-vigorous PA, optimize sleep, and reduce SB. Interventions should consider family and educational environments, adopting multidimensional approaches to foster active and healthy lifestyles in early childhood. Further research with larger samples and longitudinal analyses is needed to better understand these behaviors and their interactions.
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