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Table 1 Participant characteristics and potential determinants of young children’s objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behavior (n = 498)

From: Physical activity and sedentary behavior in preschoolers: a longitudinal assessment of trajectories and determinants

  

Mean (SD) or percentages

 

Use in analysis

T0

T1

Demographic and biological variables

 Sex

% boys

53.8

51.9

 Age

years

3.9 (0.7)

4.9 (0.7)

 Birth weight

grams (per 100 g)

3290 (570)

3280 (530)

 Chronic health condition

% with chronic health condition

7.5

7.1

 BMIa

% overweight or obese

24.1

18.5

 Gross motor skillsa

Composite z-score

0.0 (1.0)

0.1 (1.1)

 Siblings

% having older siblings

43.2

44.5

 Parental BMI

% at least one overweight or obese parent

52.2

52.5

 SES

Range 16–90; increases with higher SES

63.1 (15.5)

62.7 (15.6)

 Family structure

% single parent households

10.4

9.8

Psychological, cognitive and emotional variables

 Self-regulationa

Range 0-30; increases with better self-regulation

19.2 (9.5)

23.3 (8.0)

 Psychological difficulties

Range 0-40; increases with more difficulties

8.8 (4.3)

8.5 (4.7)

 Emotionality temperament

Range 1-5; increases with more pronounced trait

2.8 (0.7)

2.8 (0.7)

 Activity temperament

Range 1-5; increases with more pronounced trait

3.8 (0.7)

3.7 (0.7)

 Shyness temperament

Range 1-5; increases with more pronounced trait

2.4 (0.7)

2.4 (0.7)

 Parenting stress

Range 5-90; increases with more parenting stress

37.5 (7.5)

37.6 (7.6)

 Cognitive performancea

Composite z-score

0.0 (1.0)

0.1 (0.9)

Behavioral variables

 Sleep duration

Hours

10.8 (0.6)

10.8 (0.5)

 Play frequency

% more than once/week

91.2

93.1

Social and cultural variables

 Parental sedentary behavior

Hours

2.8 [2.0, 4.5]b

3.0 [2.0, 5.0]b

 Parental sports club membership

% at least one parent is member

32.0

32.8

 Parental physical activity

% at least one parent is active

63.4

61.6

 Parental Involvement in child physical activity

% at least one parent is involved

65.0

52.3

 Mode of transport to childcare

% active

40.7

48.1

 Parental tobacco use

% at least one parent smokes

24.1

24.4

 Parental alcohol consumption

% at least one parent consumes large amounts

5.5

4.5

Environmental variables

 Time outdoors

Hours

2.0 [1.5, 3.0]b

2.0 [1.5, 3.0]b

 Fixed toys

Range 0-7

1.6 (1.5)

1.6 (1.6)

 Portable toys

Range 0-8

4.5 (1.5)

4.3 (1.5)

 Days at childcare

Range 0-5

2.8 (1.2)

2.5 (1.3)

 Living area per person

m2

30.8 (9.1)

30.8 (8.9)

 Neighborhood safety

Range 0-44; increases with increasing concerns

12.6 (7.0)

12.4 (7.2)

 Dog

% dog owner

6.9

5.5

 Season

% spring and fall months

75.3

77.9

 Region

% urban

34.9

39.4

  1. PA physical activity, SB sedentary behavior, BMI body mass index, SES socio-economic status
  2. aDirectly measured (all other information is parent-report)
  3. bMedian and inter-quartile range presented for skewed distribution