Meeting the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years is associated with better social-emotional development in preschool boys

Hayley Christian; Kevin Murray; Stewart G Trost; Jasper Schipperijn; Georgina Trapp; Clover Maitland; Mark Divitini

doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101770

Meeting the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years is associated with better social-emotional development in preschool boys

Prev Med Rep. 2022 Mar 15:27:101770. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101770. eCollection 2022 Jun.

Authors

Hayley Christian^{1

2}, Kevin Murray², Stewart G Trost³, Jasper Schipperijn⁴, Georgina Trapp^{1

2}, Clover Maitland^{5

6}, Mark Divitini²

Affiliations

¹ Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Nedlands WA 6009, Australia.
² School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Nedlands WA 6009, Australia.
³ School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4001, Australia.
⁴ Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense DK-5230, Denmark.
⁵ School of Human Sciences (Exercise and Sport Science), University of Western Australia, Perth WA 6009, Australia.
⁶ Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia.

Abstract

24-hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years promote that achieving all three-movement behaviour (sleep, sedentary behaviour and physical activity) recommendations is important for child health and development. We examined the association between meeting all, none and combinations of the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years and social-emotional development in 1363 preschool (2-5 years) boys (52%) and girls. The PLAYCE study (Perth, Western Australia) parent survey collected data on children's social-emotional development (Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire), screen time, sleep and socio-demographic factors. Physical activity was measured using seven-day accelerometry. Only 8% of preschoolers met all three guidelines (5% met none). A higher proportion of boys than girls met physical activity-related guideline combinations (physical activity only, physical activity plus screen, physical activity plus sleep, all), while more girls than boys met sleep only guidelines (all p < 0.05). In boys, meeting all guidelines, compared with none, was associated with a lower total difficulties score (adjusted difference in means -1.90; 95%CI: -3.88, -0.10). Meeting the screen only guideline or the screen plus sleep guidelines, compared with none, were associated with lower total difficulties, conduct problems and hyperactivity scores in boys (all p < 0.05). Meeting the physical activity plus sleep guidelines, compared with none, were associated with lower total difficulties and conduct problems scores in boys (all p < 0.05). No significant associations were found for girls. These findings highlight the positive impact for boys social-emotional development in meeting all guidelines. Future guideline development should consider dose-response evidence to identify guideline thresholds for specific health and developmental outcomes for boys and girls.

Keywords: Guidelines; Physical activity; Preschool; Screen time; Sleep; Social-emotional development.