A systematic review of the validity, reliability, and feasibility of measurement tools used to assess the physical activity and sedentary behaviour of pre-school aged children
Abstract Physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) of pre-school aged children are associated with important health and developmental outcomes. Accurate measurement of these behaviours in young children is critical for research and practice in this area. The aim of this review was to exami...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-11-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01132-9 |
| _version_ | 1819002010682261504 |
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| author | Sophie M. Phillips Carolyn Summerbell Matthew Hobbs Kathryn R. Hesketh Sonia Saxena Cassey Muir Frances C. Hillier-Brown |
| author_facet | Sophie M. Phillips Carolyn Summerbell Matthew Hobbs Kathryn R. Hesketh Sonia Saxena Cassey Muir Frances C. Hillier-Brown |
| author_sort | Sophie M. Phillips |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) of pre-school aged children are associated with important health and developmental outcomes. Accurate measurement of these behaviours in young children is critical for research and practice in this area. The aim of this review was to examine the validity, reliability, and feasibility of measurement tools used to assess PA and SB of pre-school aged children. Searches of electronic databases, and manual searching, were conducted to identify articles that examined the measurement properties (validity, reliability or feasibility) of measurement tools used to examine PA and/or SB of pre-school aged children (3–7 years old). Following screening, data were extracted and risk of bias assessment completed on all included articles. A total of 69 articles, describing 75 individual studies were included. Studies assessed measurement tools for PA (n = 27), SB (n = 5), and both PA and SB (n = 43). Outcome measures of PA and SB differed between studies (e.g. moderate to vigorous activity, step count, posture allocation). Most studies examined the measurement properties of one measurement tool only (n = 65). Measurement tools examined included: calorimetry, direct observation, combined heart rate and accelerometry, heart rate monitors, accelerometers, pedometers, and proxy report (parent, carer or teacher reported) measures (questionnaires or diaries). Studies most frequently assessed the validity (criterion and convergent) (n = 65), face and content validity (n = 2), test-retest reliability (n = 10) and intra-instrument reliability (n = 1) of the measurement tools. Feasibility data was abstracted from 41 studies. Multiple measurement tools used to measure PA and SB in pre-school aged children showed some degree of validity, reliability and feasibility, but often for different purposes. Accelerometers, including the Actigraph (in particular GT3X versions), Actical, ActivPAL and Fitbit (Flex and Zip), and proxy reported measurement tools used in combination may be useful for a range of outcome measures, to measure intensity alongside contextual information. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T22:58:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f7270188c3dd4528b43a1d41c9676a19 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1479-5868 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T22:58:19Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| spelling | doaj.art-f7270188c3dd4528b43a1d41c9676a192022-12-21T19:24:04ZengBMCInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity1479-58682021-11-0118112810.1186/s12966-021-01132-9A systematic review of the validity, reliability, and feasibility of measurement tools used to assess the physical activity and sedentary behaviour of pre-school aged childrenSophie M. Phillips0Carolyn Summerbell1Matthew Hobbs2Kathryn R. Hesketh3Sonia Saxena4Cassey Muir5Frances C. Hillier-Brown6Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Durham UniversityDepartment of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Durham UniversitySchool of Health Sciences, University of CanterburyPopulation Policy & Practice Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child HealthFaculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College LondonThe Centre for Translational Research in Public Health (Fuse)The Centre for Translational Research in Public Health (Fuse)Abstract Physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) of pre-school aged children are associated with important health and developmental outcomes. Accurate measurement of these behaviours in young children is critical for research and practice in this area. The aim of this review was to examine the validity, reliability, and feasibility of measurement tools used to assess PA and SB of pre-school aged children. Searches of electronic databases, and manual searching, were conducted to identify articles that examined the measurement properties (validity, reliability or feasibility) of measurement tools used to examine PA and/or SB of pre-school aged children (3–7 years old). Following screening, data were extracted and risk of bias assessment completed on all included articles. A total of 69 articles, describing 75 individual studies were included. Studies assessed measurement tools for PA (n = 27), SB (n = 5), and both PA and SB (n = 43). Outcome measures of PA and SB differed between studies (e.g. moderate to vigorous activity, step count, posture allocation). Most studies examined the measurement properties of one measurement tool only (n = 65). Measurement tools examined included: calorimetry, direct observation, combined heart rate and accelerometry, heart rate monitors, accelerometers, pedometers, and proxy report (parent, carer or teacher reported) measures (questionnaires or diaries). Studies most frequently assessed the validity (criterion and convergent) (n = 65), face and content validity (n = 2), test-retest reliability (n = 10) and intra-instrument reliability (n = 1) of the measurement tools. Feasibility data was abstracted from 41 studies. Multiple measurement tools used to measure PA and SB in pre-school aged children showed some degree of validity, reliability and feasibility, but often for different purposes. Accelerometers, including the Actigraph (in particular GT3X versions), Actical, ActivPAL and Fitbit (Flex and Zip), and proxy reported measurement tools used in combination may be useful for a range of outcome measures, to measure intensity alongside contextual information.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01132-9Physical activitySedentary behaviourPre-schoolValidityReliabilityFeasibility |
| spellingShingle | Sophie M. Phillips Carolyn Summerbell Matthew Hobbs Kathryn R. Hesketh Sonia Saxena Cassey Muir Frances C. Hillier-Brown A systematic review of the validity, reliability, and feasibility of measurement tools used to assess the physical activity and sedentary behaviour of pre-school aged children International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Physical activity Sedentary behaviour Pre-school Validity Reliability Feasibility |
| title | A systematic review of the validity, reliability, and feasibility of measurement tools used to assess the physical activity and sedentary behaviour of pre-school aged children |
| title_full | A systematic review of the validity, reliability, and feasibility of measurement tools used to assess the physical activity and sedentary behaviour of pre-school aged children |
| title_fullStr | A systematic review of the validity, reliability, and feasibility of measurement tools used to assess the physical activity and sedentary behaviour of pre-school aged children |
| title_full_unstemmed | A systematic review of the validity, reliability, and feasibility of measurement tools used to assess the physical activity and sedentary behaviour of pre-school aged children |
| title_short | A systematic review of the validity, reliability, and feasibility of measurement tools used to assess the physical activity and sedentary behaviour of pre-school aged children |
| title_sort | systematic review of the validity reliability and feasibility of measurement tools used to assess the physical activity and sedentary behaviour of pre school aged children |
| topic | Physical activity Sedentary behaviour Pre-school Validity Reliability Feasibility |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01132-9 |
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