Differences in preschoolersʼ physical activity levels across conditions involving different levels of activity in nursery school:

Many studies have examined preschoolersʼ physical activity (PA) in nursery school settings. They suggest that PA in this age group is influenced by factors such as age, gender, and size of playground. The present study compares the PA level of “active” or “inactive” children, as subjectively assessed by nursery school teachers, and uses accelerometry to examine how their PA levels differ across several conditions, involving different levels of activity, in nursery schools. PA was assessed using a triaxial accelerometer (Active Style Pro, Omron) for 5 weekdays in nursery school. We examined the time children spent in moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA) during free play and structured physical activity periods (in the playroom, playground, and nearby parks). MVPA was higher in the “active” children than in the “inactive” ones, throughout the time spent in nursery school and free play. However, during structured physical activities, both groups had similar MVPA levels. In particular, during outdoor structured activities in the playground and parks, both group had high PA levels. Locomotor activities accounted for most of the childrenʼs MVPA during outdoor activities, while non-locomotor activities were predominant in indoor play as compared to outdoor play. These results suggest that structured physical activities are effective in increasing the MVPA levels of particularly “inactive” children. Further, outdoor plays are especially important to increase the PA levels of all kinds of children.