Relationship between fluctuation patterns of preschoolers' physical activity measured over a year in relation to their physical fitness and lifestyle

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K13210
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Applied health science
• Research Institution: Jin-ai University
• Principal Investigator: Demura Tomohiro 仁愛大学, 人間生活学部, 准教授 (10634420)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 幼児 / 身体活動量 / 運動強度 / 長期間

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recently, it has been reported in Japan that as children’s physical activity has decreased, so has their physical strength. This has been attributed to the changes in their environment including convenience of transportation, fewer playgrounds, and an increase in video games. This study elucidates the variation patterns of physical activity and examines the relationship between physical fitness and lifestyle by measuring exercise intensity and number of steps taken and by measuring the preschoolers’ exercise intensity as well as the number of steps they take from home to school and vice versa using a small activity meter and by conducting a long-term analysis of approximately one year.
By studying the relationship between the amount of physical activity, meteorological data, physical fitness, and lifestyle, the tendency that physical activity increased due to an increase in the number of steps during spring and autumn was objectively confirmed.

Free Research Field

測定評価

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

幼児期の日常の身体活動量に関する研究は、近年歩数に加え、運動強度が注目され、加速度計を利用した研究が進められてきている。しかし、幼児に加速度計を装着し、数日間連続して日常の身体活動量を測定することは困難である。また、年間の変動や季節要因に関するこれまでの研究では、質問紙法が用いられるか、1週間程度歩数を測定し、比較検討するにとどまっている。しかし、本研究では、長期間（1年以上）継続して歩数や運動強度を測定し季節要因、体力や生活習慣との関連を確認した。これまで明らかにできていなかったが、幼児の日常の身体活動量について客観的な知見を得ることができた。