Changes in physical activity in pre‐schoolers and first‐grade children: longitudinal study in the Czech Republic

Abstract

Abstract Background The transition from kindergarten to first year at school is associated with a variety of psychosocial changes in children. The aim of this longitudinal study was to identify the changes in children's physical activity (PA) upon entry to first year at school; and to identify the days of the school week that exhibit low PA. Methods We monitored the PA levels of 176 children twice: initially in kindergarten and again in first‐year classes at school. The age (mean ± standard deviation) of children at kindergarten was 5.7 ± 0.5 years and 6.7 ± 0.5 years at the first year of elementary school. We evaluated PA employing the activity energy expenditure (AEE – kcal/kg/day) from Caltrac accelerometer and daily amount of steps (STEPS) from Yamax pedometer. Participants were monitored over 7 days to include a weekend. Results The mean AEE was 11.5 in pre‐school girls and 12.9 kcal/kg/day in boys; and STEPS were 9923 steps/day in girls and 11 864 in boys on weekdays. At weekends, it was 11.5 kcal/kg/day in girls and 12.7 kcal/kg/day in boys and 10 606 steps/day in girls and 11 182 steps/day in boys. The mean AEE and STEPS in first‐grade girls and boys was 9.9 and 9.8 kcal/kg/day respectively, and 7911 and 8252 steps/day respectively on weekdays, and 8.8 and 9.0 kcal/kg/day and 6872 and 7194 steps/day respectively at weekends. First‐grade school children had significantly lower PA than pre‐school children on weekdays ( P < 0.0001) and at weekends ( P < 0.0001). Decline in PA on weekdays was during time spent at school ( P < 0.0001) and not during after‐school children's leisure time. Conclusion The parts of the week when first‐grade school children show low PA are the times spent in lessons and in after‐school nursery and at weekends. PA needs to be promoted using intervention programmes mainly during the after‐school nursery programmes and at weekends.