Author:

Keywords:

Physical education, Pre-school children, Physical activity

Abstract:

Introduction: The childhood obesity epidemic is even affecting preschool children and reduced physical activity is an important contributor to this problem. In Flanders (Belgium) virtually all children attend preschool and preschools are obliged to organize a minimum of 2 PE lessons per week. Consequently well-delivered PE classes can contribute to reach the recommended physical activity levels. The US Association for Sport and Physical Education recommends that preschool-aged children should accumulate at least 120 minutes of physical activity per day, one-half of that time in structured physical activity, and the remaining in unstructured free-play settings. However, according to a previous study in Belgian preschoolers, children spend 85 % of their time sedentary on preschool attending days. The present study aims to evaluate physical activity engagement levels during preschool PE lessons in boys and girls. Methods: A random sample of 5 to 6 year old pre-schoolers (n= 179; 52 % boys, from 12 different schools) wore an accelerometer (MTI Actigraph model 7164) during one PE class. Since the typical 1-min sampling interval may mask the short intermittent bursts of activity characteristics of young children, a 15-s sampling interval was used. Additionally, lessons were videotaped and quantified according to System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT). Only the actual lesson time was considered, which started when 51% of the pupils had reached the instructional station and ended when half of the class had departed from the area. Results: On average 64 % of the lesson times was spent in sedentary activities, 22 % in light intensity activities, 6 % in moderate intensity activities and only 8 % in high intensity activities. Activity engagement levels did not significantly differ between boys and girls. It was observed that on average the teachers provided skill training during 26 % of the lesson time, while 24 % was spent in organizing the PE classes. The actual PE lesson times varied from 22 minutes to 51 minutes (mean lesson length: 37 minutes). Longer lessons were correlated with higher average activity levels (r= 0.52, p< 0.001) and activity levels differed significantly between lesson contents. Discussion: The present sample of preschool children engaged during only 14% of the PE lesson time in moderate to vigorous physical activity. Consequently, efforts are needed to manage pre-school PE lesson time to include more physical activity. Increasing child involvement by better use of space, active instructional behavior and appropriately structured lessons seems needed to increase physical activity engagement levels. Besides striving for more time allocation to PE and quality PE lessons already in preschool, there is also a need to move beyond the PE curriculum through intra-curricular and extra-curricular activities and through the provision of activating preschool environments.