Physical activity play and sport in young children: implications for pedagogy

Professor Anthony D OkelyNational Heart Foundation of Australia Career

Development FellowDirector, Early Start Research Institute

Faculty of Social SciencesUniversity of Wollongong, Australia

tokely@uow.edu.au

Outline1. Behavioural epidemiology framework to provide

rationale for promoting physical activity play2. What are the recommendations around physical

activity play?3. Evidence-based strategies for incorporating

physical activity play into early childhood settings?

Physical activity play• Contains characteristics of general

play (unstructured, imaginary, child-directed, sometimes spontaneous) but involves movement of large muscles so that there is an appreciable increase in energy expenditure compared with sitting down/resting.

• Examples include moving to music, ball activities, water games, rough and tumble play, running and locomotor activities

Health Benefits of Physical Activity Play for Children aged 0-5

Cardiometabolic

Blood pressure

lipids

Insulin resistance

Psychosocial

Social and emotional development

Motor development

Musculoskeletal

Bone mineral density

Reduced plantar pressure

Adiposity

Cognitive

Executive function

1. Timmons et al. Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab. 2012;37: 773–792.2. Okely et al. J Sci Med Sport (under review)

Hnatuik J, Salmon J, Hinkley T, Okely AD, Trost SG, (in press) A review of preschool children’s physical activity and sedentary time using objective measures. Am J Prev Med.

Percent of time spent in MVPA

6% = 47mins

Hnatuik J, Salmon J, Hinkley T, Okely AD, Trost SG, (in press) A review of preschool children’s physical activity and sedentary time using objective measures. Am J Prev Med.

Percent of time spent in LPA

17% = 132mins

1. ABS. Australian Health Survey: Physical Activity, 2011-2012. 4364.0.55.004. Accessed 24/7/13.

Prevalence of PA in 2-4 year-olds (Australian Recs; ≥3hrs LMVPA/d)

Average method Every day method66

70

74

78

82

86

Tracking of physical activity play

Jones RA, Hinkley T, Okely AD, Salmon J. Am J Prev Med 2013;44(6):651–658

Correlates of physical activity play

Hinkley T, et al. Am J Prev Med 2008;34(5):435–441

Sex Parent PA Time outdoors Gross motor skills

Lubans DR, et al. Sports Med 2010; 40 (12): 1019-1035

Efficacy of PA interventions in early years

• 9 studies; 7 RCTS• 3 RCTs no sig diff between groups• Results for other 4, all INT>CON• Alhassan (2007): 13.1 CPM• Binkley & Specker (2004): 2500CPD; 1.5% time in

MVPA• Eliakim (2007): 1438 steps/day• Trost (2008)

Ward DS, Vaughn A ,McWilliams C, Hales D. Physical Activity at Child Care Settings: Review and Research Recommendations. Am J Lifestyle Med 2009;3:474.

What are the recommendations around physical activity?

Australia (2010) UK (2011) Canada (2012)

• Encourage supervised floor-based play from birth

• 3hrs/day physical activity spread through the day

• Should not be sedentary for >1hr at a time, except for sleeping

• Encourage supervised floor-based play from birth

• 3hrs/day physical activity spread through the day

• Minimise the amount of time spent being sedentary

• Encourage supervised floor-based play from birth

• 3hrs/day physical activity spread through the day

• Minimize the spent being sedentary during waking hours. This includes prolonged sitting or being restrained for more than 1hr at a time

National physical activity recommendations

Companion statements1. Mobile infants should be encouraged to be as active as possible in a safe,

supervised, minimally structured and nurturing play environment.

2. For toddlers and preschoolers, physical activity should occur primarily through physically active play

3. In selecting activities for children, the emphasis should be on fun and on engaging their interests through exploration, guided-discovery, and unstructured play and developing an enjoyment of outdoor activity.

4. For children 0-5, competitive sport is developmentally inappropriate and should not be encouraged.

Evidence-based tips on promoting PA Play in ECEC services

• Employ highly trained educators• Use indoor space for gross motor activities• Provide access to fixed equipment • Consider layout of outdoor spaces

Cosco N, Moore R. Preventing Obesity by Design (POD). North Carolina State University. May 2014.

Evidence-based tips on promoting PA Play in ECEC services

• Employ highly trained educators• Use indoor space for gross motor activities• Provide access to fixed equipment • Consider layout of outdoor spaces• Supplement structured/intentional learning

with opportunities for related unstructured play

Jump Start• 20-week 2-arm cluster pilot RCT

• 2 long day care services

• 91 Children aged 3-5 years• Three components, Implemented by setting staff

Ongoing professional development (PD) for staff (4 x 30 min PD sessions + 16 demonstration lessons)

Control over how program was implemented Sense of accomplishment

Structured lessons (20 min each, 3 per week) Fun activities Increased competence in motor skills Pleasing adults (social approval)

Unstructured activity sessions Choice for both educators and children in what to participate in

Funded by UOW Small Grant

3. Unstructured activities

Results: Physical Activity

During intervention

Adjusted Difference (95% CI)

P value Effect size

Counts per minute

110.48 (33.62, 187.33)

0.01 0.40

% SB -0.97 (-5.76, 3.82) 0.69 0.08

% LPA -0.06 (-3.15, 3.02) 0.97 0.01

% MPA -0.24 (-1.68, 1.21) 0.74 0.07

% VPA 0.56 (-0.90, 2.02) 0.16 0.15

%MVPA 0.26 (-2.07, 2.60) 0.82 0.04Jones RA et al. Pediatric Exercise Science. 2011;23:600-615.

= approx 26 min/day more activity

AcknowledgementsMarijka BatterhamDavid LubansTom Robinson

Thank youEarly Start Research Institute, Faculty of Social SciencesUniversity of Wollongong, Australiatokely@uow.edu.au