Department of Health Promotion, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Research Group Move to Be, School of Sport Studies, Fontys University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 347, 5600 AH Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Jul 3;15(7):1400. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15071400.
Characteristics of the physical childcare environment are associated with children’s sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) levels. This study examines whether these associations are moderated by child characteristics. A total of 152 1- to 3-year-old children from 22 Dutch childcare centers participated in the study. Trained research assistants observed the physical childcare environment, using the Environment and Policy Assessment Observation (EPAO) protocol. Child characteristics (age, gender, temperament and weight status) were assessed using parental questionnaires. Child SB and PA was assessed using Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometers. Linear regression analyses including interaction terms were used to examine moderation of associations between the childcare environment and child SB and PA. Natural elements and portable outdoor equipment were associated with less SB and more PA. In addition, older children, boys and heavier children were less sedentary and more active, while more use of childcare and an anxious temperament were associated with more SB. There were various interactions between environmental factors and child characteristics. Specific physical elements (e.g., natural elements) were especially beneficial for vulnerable children (i.e., anxious, overactive, depressive/withdrawn, overweight). The current study shows the importance of the physical childcare environment in lowering SB and promoting PA in very young children in general, and vulnerable children specifically. Moderation by child characteristics shows the urgency of shaping childcare centers that promote PA in all children, increasing equity in PA promotion in childcare.
儿童照护环境的特点与儿童的久坐行为（SB）和身体活动（PA）水平有关。本研究考察了这些关联是否受到儿童特征的调节。共有 22 家荷兰儿童照护中心的 152 名 1 至 3 岁儿童参与了这项研究。经过培训的研究助理使用环境和政策评估观察（EPAO）方案观察了儿童照护环境。使用父母问卷评估了儿童特征（年龄、性别、气质和体重状况）。使用 Actigraph GT3X+ 加速度计评估了儿童 SB 和 PA。线性回归分析包括交互项，以检验儿童照护环境与儿童 SB 和 PA 之间的关联是否受到调节。自然元素和便携式户外设备与较少的 SB 和更多的 PA 有关。此外，年龄较大的儿童、男孩和体重较重的儿童较少久坐，更多活动，而更多使用儿童照护和焦虑气质与更多 SB 有关。环境因素和儿童特征之间存在各种相互作用。特定的物理元素（例如，自然元素）对弱势儿童（即焦虑、多动、抑郁/退缩、超重）特别有益。本研究表明，在一般情况下，特别是在弱势儿童中，儿童照护环境对降低 SB 和促进幼儿 PA 非常重要。儿童特征的调节表明，迫切需要塑造促进所有儿童 PA 的儿童照护中心，以增加儿童照护中 PA 促进的公平性。
