Physical Activity Pattern of Malaysian Preschoolers: Environment, Barriers, and Motivators for Active Play

Children’s physical activity has been correlated with child characteristics and social or physical environment. This study aimed to compare preschoolers’ physical activity among various sociodemographic characteristics and to determine barriers, motivators, and environmental factors for active play....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Asia-Pacific journal of public health 2016-07, Vol.28 (5), p.21S-34S
Main Authors: Lee, Shoo Thien, Wong, Jyh Eiin, Ong, Wei Wen, Ismail, Mohd Noor, Deurenberg, Paul, Poh, Bee Koon
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Child
Child, Preschool
Computers - utilization
Environment
Exercise
Female
Guideline Adherence - statistics & numerical data
Guidelines as Topic
Humans
Malaysia
Male
Motivation
Play and Playthings - psychology
Residence Characteristics - statistics & numerical data
Safety
SEANUTS
Sex Factors
Television - utilization
Time Factors
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Summary:Children’s physical activity has been correlated with child characteristics and social or physical environment. This study aimed to compare preschoolers’ physical activity among various sociodemographic characteristics and to determine barriers, motivators, and environmental factors for active play. A total of 835 preschoolers were included in this analysis. Time spent on active play, quiet play, and screen time was reported by parents. Boys spent significantly more time on active play and screen time than girls. Time spent on quiet play was highest in East Coast Peninsular Malaysia and lowest in Sarawak. Some 40% of children achieved active play recommendation while 27% exceeded daily screen time recommendation. Most parents reported that their child played actively in the house area; and that the main barrier and motivator to active play were safety and child’s enjoyment, respectively. These findings demonstrate that sociodemographic characteristics and environment should be considered in designing physical activity intervention programs.
ISSN:1010-5395
1941-2479
DOI:10.1177/1010539516638155