Tracking of physical activity in young children

• Published in: Medicine and science in sports and exercise Vol. 28; no. 1; pp. 92 - 96
• Main Authors: PATE, R. R, BARANOWSKI, T, DOWDA, M, TROST, S. G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 1996
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Child, Preschool; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health Behavior; Heart Rate; Humans; Male; Physical Exertion; Space life sciences; Vertebrates: body movement. Posture. Locomotion. Flight. Swimming. Physical exercise. Rest. Sports; Human; Physical exercise; Heart rate; Risk factor; Child; Monitoring; Public health
• ISSN: 0195-9131; 1530-0315
• DOI: 10.1097/00005768-199601000-00019

The purpose of this study was to determine whether physical activity behavior tracks during early childhood. Forty-seven children (22 males, 25 females) aged 3-4 yr at the beginning of the study were followed over a 3-yr period. Heart rates were measured at least 2 and up to 4 d.yr-1 with a Quantum XL Telemetry heart rate monitor. Physical activity was quantified as the percentage of observed minutes between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. during which heart rate was 50% or more above individual resting heart rate (PAHR-50 Index). Tracking of physical activity was analyzed using Pearson and Spearman correlations. Yearly PAHR-50 index tertiles were created and examined for percent agreement and Cohen's kappa. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to calculate the intraclass correlation coefficient across the 3 yr of the study. Spearman rank order correlations ranged from 0.57 to 0.66 (P < 0.0001). Percent agreement ranged from 49% to 62%. The intraclass R for the 3 yr was 0.81. It was concluded that physical activity behavior tends to track during early childhood.