Classification of daily patterns of activity intensity and relationships between these patterns and steps, lifestyle, and health status in young children

Abstract

［Background and Purpose］It has been pointed out recently that the issue of declining physical fitness occurs even in young children. As a background, some decline in physical activity and changes in daily life rhythms have been noted. While there have been experiments examining exercise performance and lifestyle improvement in young children, their daily activity pattern has not yet been considered. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to classify the daily patterns of activity intensity and to examine the relationships between these patterns and steps, lifestyle, and health status in young children.［Method］Participants were 386 young children. We measured activity intensity during each weekday using the Lifecorde GS（Suzuken Corporation). We classified participants by activity intensity per hour, using a non-hierarchical cluster analysis with the k-means method. The differences in the daily patterns of activity intensity were confirmed using a two way ANOVA. In addition, the relationships between the daily patterns of activity intensity and steps, lifestyle, and health status were confirmed by an ANCOVA, cross tabulation, and chi-square test. ［Results and Discussion］The participants were classified into two clusters and a significant difference in the daily patterns of activity intensity was confirmed. Further, a significant difference in the average number of daily steps was confirmed. The clear difference was not confirmed in a part of lifestyle and health status between two clusters. Key words：activity pattern, activity intensity, cluster analysis 活動パターン，運動強度，クラスター分析 Ⅰ はじめに 近年の子ども達の体力低下問題は，既に幼児期 で出現していることが指摘されている（春日， 2009） ．また，体力の格差，いわゆる二極化傾向も 早期からみられることが指摘されている（春日ほ か，2010） ．このような実状を受けて，文部科学省 では 2012 年に幼児期運動指針を作成した（文部 科学省，2012） ．さらに，日本発育発達学会では 2014 年に同指針の実践ガイドを発刊し，広く指針 ［資 料］ 発育発達研究 第 70 号 2016；70：55-65 1 名古屋学院大学スポーツ健康学部 2 岐阜大学教育学部 3 滋賀大学教育学部