November 25, 2024 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu

In one of the first longitudinal studies to measure physical activity changes in children ages six to 36 months, Arnold School researchers* found a 45 percent increase in physical activity during this time period. The biggest increases took place between six and 24 months, when physical activity levels then tended to plateau.

In addition, the team discovered that TV/electronic media use was associated with lower increases in physical activity, while the presence of siblings in the home was associated with greater increases. Daytime sleep and a history of breastfeeding were also positively correlated with physical activity.

 

Children's physical activity increases by 45 percent between the ages of six and 36 months. 

Funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and published in The Journal of Pediatrics, this study was designed to expand the limited knowledge of changes in physical activity among children under age three. It built on existing cross-sectional studies by following 124 children every six months between the ages of six and 36 months.

“Three decades of research have demonstrated that physical activity provides important health benefits to children and youth and that physical activity among young people is a complex behavior that is influenced by factors operating in multiple settings, including the home, school and community,” says Russell Pate, professor of exercise science and director of the Children’s Physical Activity Research Group. “This evidence has been used to inform the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, yet there has not been enough research yet to help shape guidelines for infants and toddlers.”

Every six months, the research team met with participants and their mothers to measure physical activity through accelerometry and to assess motor development. They also collected data related to demographics, motor milestones, sleep habits, dietary practices, childcare settings, and home environmental factors.

“This study helped us better understand changes in physical activity that occur as children transition from infancy to early childhood,” Pate says. “Future research is needed to further explore personal, social, and environmental factors that influence physical activity during these phases.”

*Co-authors include Russell Pate (Exercise Science), Marsha Dowda (Exercise Science), Alexander McLain (Epidemiology and Biostatistics), Edward Frongillo (Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior), Ruth Saunders (Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior), Nabila Inak (Exercise Science), and Kerry Cordan (Exercise Science).

This research was supported by a grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD091483-05). 

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