IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v15y2018i7p1400-d155951.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Activating Childcare Environments for All Children: the Importance of Children’s Individual Needs

Author

Listed:
  • Jessica S. Gubbels

    (Department of Health Promotion, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands)

  • Dave H. H. Van Kann

    (Research Group Move to Be, School of Sport Studies, Fontys University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 347, 5600 AH Eindhoven, The Netherlands)

  • Greet Cardon

    (Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, C. Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Stef P. J. Kremers

    (Department of Health Promotion, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Characteristics of the physical childcare environment are associated with children’s sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) levels. This study examines whether these associations are moderated by child characteristics. A total of 152 1- to 3-year-old children from 22 Dutch childcare centers participated in the study. Trained research assistants observed the physical childcare environment, using the Environment and Policy Assessment Observation (EPAO) protocol. Child characteristics (age, gender, temperament and weight status) were assessed using parental questionnaires. Child SB and PA was assessed using Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometers. Linear regression analyses including interaction terms were used to examine moderation of associations between the childcare environment and child SB and PA. Natural elements and portable outdoor equipment were associated with less SB and more PA. In addition, older children, boys and heavier children were less sedentary and more active, while more use of childcare and an anxious temperament were associated with more SB. There were various interactions between environmental factors and child characteristics. Specific physical elements (e.g., natural elements) were especially beneficial for vulnerable children (i.e., anxious, overactive, depressive/withdrawn, overweight). The current study shows the importance of the physical childcare environment in lowering SB and promoting PA in very young children in general, and vulnerable children specifically. Moderation by child characteristics shows the urgency of shaping childcare centers that promote PA in all children, increasing equity in PA promotion in childcare.

Suggested Citation

  • Jessica S. Gubbels & Dave H. H. Van Kann & Greet Cardon & Stef P. J. Kremers, 2018. "Activating Childcare Environments for All Children: the Importance of Children’s Individual Needs," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-11, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:7:p:1400-:d:155951
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/7/1400/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/7/1400/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Leigh M. Vanderloo & Patricia Tucker & Andrew M. Johnson & Melissa M. Van Zandvoort & Shauna M. Burke & Jennifer D. Irwin, 2014. "The Influence of Centre-Based Childcare on Preschoolers’ Physical Activity Levels: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-9, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Michelle Ng & Michael Rosenberg & Ashleigh Thornton & Leanne Lester & Stewart G. Trost & Pulan Bai & Hayley Christian, 2020. "The Effect of Upgrades to Childcare Outdoor Spaces on Preschoolers’ Physical Activity: Findings from a Natural Experiment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-17, January.
    2. Ilona Van de Kolk & Anne J. M. Goossens & Sanne M. P. L. Gerards & Stef P. J. Kremers & Roos M. P. Manders & Jessica S. Gubbels, 2018. "Healthy Nutrition and Physical Activity in Childcare: Views from Childcare Managers, Childcare Workers and Parents on Influential Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-17, December.
    3. Ilona van de Kolk & Sanne M. P. L. Gerards & Lisa S. E. Harms & Stef P. J. Kremers & Angela M. H. S. van Dinther-Erkens & Monique Snellings & Jessica S. Gubbels, 2020. "Study Protocol for the Evaluation of “SuperFIT”, a Multicomponent Nutrition and Physical Activity Intervention Approach for Preschools and Families," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-15, January.
    4. Raphael M. Herr & Katharina Diehl & Sven Schneider & Nina Osenbruegge & Nicole Memmer & Steffi Sachse & Stephanie Hoffmann & Benjamin Wachtler & Max Herke & Claudia R. Pischke & Anna Novelli & Jennife, 2021. "Which Meso-Level Characteristics of Early Childhood Education and Care Centers Are Associated with Health, Health Behavior, and Well-Being of Young Children? Findings of a Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-26, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Monika Szpunar & Molly Driediger & Andrew M. Johnson & Leigh M. Vanderloo & Shauna M. Burke & Jennifer D. Irwin & Jacob Shelley & Brian W. Timmons & Patricia Tucker, 2021. "Impact of the Childcare Physical Activity (PLAY) Policy on Young Children’s Physical Activity and Sedentary Time: A Pilot Clustered Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-14, July.
    2. Patricia Tucker & Brianne A. Bruijns & Kristi B. Adamo & Shauna M. Burke & Valerie Carson & Rachel Heydon & Jennifer D. Irwin & Andrew M. Johnson & Patti-Jean Naylor & Brian W. Timmons & Leigh M. Vand, 2022. "Training Pre-Service Early Childhood Educators in Physical Activity (TEACH): Protocol for a Quasi-Experimental Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-27, March.
    3. Leigh M. Vanderloo & Patricia Tucker, 2015. "Weekly Trends in Preschoolers’ Physical Activity and Sedentary Time in Childcare," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-11, February.
    4. Molly Driediger & Stephanie Truelove & Andrew M. Johnson & Leigh M. Vanderloo & Brian W. Timmons & Shauna M. Burke & Jennifer D. Irwin & Patricia Tucker, 2019. "The Impact of Shorter, More Frequent Outdoor Play Periods on Preschoolers’ Physical Activity during Childcare: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-14, October.
    5. Suvi Määttä & Hanna Konttinen & Reetta Lehto & Ari Haukkala & Maijaliisa Erkkola & Eva Roos, 2018. "Preschool Environmental Factors, Parental Socioeconomic Status, and Children’s Sedentary Time: An Examination of Cross-Level Interactions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-19, December.
    6. Clover Maitland & Leanne Lester & Stewart G. Trost & Michael Rosenberg & Jasper Schipperijn & Georgina Trapp & Pulan Bai & Hayley Christian, 2020. "The Influence of the Early Childhood Education and Care Environment on Young Children’s Physical Activity: Development and Reliability of the PLAYCE Study Environmental Audit and Educator Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-10, April.
    7. Ruth P. Saunders & Marsha Dowda & Karin A. Pfeiffer & William H. Brown & Russell R. Pate, 2019. "Childcare Center Characteristics Moderate the Effects of a Physical Activity Intervention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-12, December.
    8. Wonwoo Byun & Michael W. Beets & Russell R. Pate, 2015. "Sedentary Behavior in Preschoolers: How Many Days of Accelerometer Monitoring Is Needed?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-14, October.
    9. Gillian Mandich & Shauna Burke & Anca Gaston & Patricia Tucker, 2015. "The Physical Activity Levels and Sedentary Behaviors of Latino Children in London (Ontario, Canada)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-12, May.
    10. Rachel A. Jones & Eduarda Sousa-Sá & Michele Peden & Anthony D. Okely, 2019. "Childcare Physical Activity Interventions: A Discussion of Similarities and Differences and Trends, Issues, and Recommendations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-13, December.
    11. Michelle Ng & Michael Rosenberg & Ashleigh Thornton & Leanne Lester & Stewart G. Trost & Pulan Bai & Hayley Christian, 2020. "The Effect of Upgrades to Childcare Outdoor Spaces on Preschoolers’ Physical Activity: Findings from a Natural Experiment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-17, January.
    12. Patricia Tucker & Molly Driediger & Leigh M. Vanderloo & Shauna M. Burke & Jennifer D. Irwin & Andrew M. Johnson & Jacob Shelley & Brian W. Timmons, 2019. "Exploring the Feasibility and Effectiveness of a Childcare PhysicaL ActivitY (PLAY) Policy: Rationale and Protocol for a Pilot, Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-15, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:7:p:1400-:d:155951. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.