Comparison of levels of daily physical activity between japanese preschool children enrolled in kindergartens and nursery schools

Abstract

Most Japanese preschool children attend either kindergartens or nursery schools, each providing a distinct environment for children, and the difference between these may be associated with varying patterns of physical activity (PA). The purpose of the present study is to compare the levels of PA in Japanese preschool children enrolled in kindergartens to those enrolled in nursery schools by using triaxial accelerometry (ActivTracer, GMS). PA was assessed using a triaxial accelerometer and daily steps were captured using a uniaxial accelerometer for 6 consecutive days, including weekdays and weekends. Subjects were 157 four- to six-year-old Japanese children attending kindergartens or nursery schools. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and step counts were 107 (±34) min/day and 13,567 (±2,725) steps/day respectively for kindergartens, and 97 (±30) min/day and 12,526 (±2,884) steps/day respectively for nursery schools. MVPA and step counts were significantly higher for children enrolled in kindergartens than those enrolled in nursery schools. Although PA on weekdays did not differ significantly, physical activity level, MVPA, and step counts on weekends were significantly higher for children enrolled in kindergartens than those enrolled in nursery schools. In addition, we observed large variability in PA among children enrolled in kindergartens, and relatively little variability among children enrolled in nursery schools. The results suggest that children in nursery schools exhibit less engagement in moderate PA than children in kindergartens, and the difference is more pronounced on weekends. Additionally, we found that PA patterns in young children enrolled in kindergartens may vary greatly.