The role of 24-h movement Behaviors in preschool children’s learning ability: the mediating effect of inhibitory control

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the impact of 24-h movement behaviors—sleep (SP), sedentary behavior (SB), light physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA)—on preschool children’s learning ability, with emphasis on inhibitory control as a mediating variable. Methods: Data were collected from 328 preschoolers (182 boys and 146 girls) using accelerometers and sleep questionnaires. Inhibitory control was assessed using the Early Years Toolbox, while learning ability was evaluated through the Learning Ability Test. Results: A 15-min daily increase in MVPA, replacing SP, SB, or LPA, was associated with improvements in preschoolers’ inhibitory control (0.038, 0.038, and 0.041, respectively) and learning ability (1.93, 1.87, and 2.52, respectively). Conversely, reallocating time in the opposite direction was associated with declines in both measures. Inhibitory control partially mediated the relationship between MVPA and learning ability across various demographic groups. For LPA, inhibitory control fully mediated its effect on learning ability in girls, while it fully mediated the impact of SP and MVPA on learning ability in boys. Conclusions: These findings collectively highlight the importance of 24-h movement behaviors in enhancing learning ability in preschool children through improved inhibitory control.