AUTHOR=Huang Ting , Zhao Guanggao , Fu Jinmei , Sun Shunli , Lv Wendi , He Zihao , Chen Delong , Chen Ruiming 

TITLE=Associations between family factors and physical activity clustering in preschool children: a cross-sectional study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1367934

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2024.1367934

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Objective: The study aimed to examine the association between family factors and physical activity (PA) clustering in preschool children.Methods: Preschoolers' PA and sedentary behavior (SB) were assessed consecutively by ActiGraph accelerometers for seven days based on the cutoff counts developed by Pate and colleagues.Information about children, their parents and families was evaluated using a questionnaire. We developed a two-step approach to clustering PA in and outside of kindergarten. The Euclidean distance metric was utilized to distinguish between groups, while the Schwarz Bayesian Criterion was applied to identify the most optimal sub-group model. One-way ANOVA was used to assess the clustering effect, and logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of different clustering.We collected data from 291 preschool children aged 3 to 6 and divided them into three clusters-Inactive (50.2%), Active in Kindergarten (26.8%), and Active outside Kindergarten (23.0%)-with significant differences in PA and SB, revealing distinct temporal and spatial clustering patterns (Silhouette Coefficient = 0.3，P < 0.05). Furthermore, preschooler activity levels correlated significantly with factors including gender (OR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.19-0.66), age (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.00-1.10), birth weight (OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.16-2.76), paternal age (OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00-1.02), and maternal income (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.48-0.96).This study shows that the family environment or parents significantly influence the PA of preschool children. Older fathers may promote preschool children's PA through greater educational focus and financial stability, while higher maternal income can provide more opportunities and resources for preschool children to engage in active lifestyles. Thus, it is suggested that families providing more attention and exercise opportunities for preschool children's education can help improve their PA levels in the future.