Early care and education center environmental factors associated with product- and process-based locomotor outcomes in preschool-age children

Authors: SZESZULSKI, JACOB - Texas A&M Agrilife; LORENZO, ELIZABETH - University Of Texas Medical Branch; TODD, MICHAEL - Arizona State University; O'CONNOR, TERESIA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); HILL, JENNIE - University Of Utah; SHAIBI, GABRIEL - Arizona State University; VEGA-LÓPEZ, SONIA - Arizona State University; BUMAN, MATTHEW - Arizona State University; HOOKER, STEVEN - San Diego State University; LEE, REBECCA - Arizona State University

Submitted to: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/2022
Publication Date: 2/15/2022
Citation: Szeszulski, J., Lorenzo, E., Todd, M., O'Connor, T.M., Hill, J., Shaibi, G.Q., Vega-Lopez, S., Buman, M.P., Hooker, S.P., Lee, R.E. 2022. Early care and education center environmental factors associated with product- and process-based locomotor outcomes in preschool-age children. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 19. Article 2208. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042208.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042208

Interpretive Summary: The environment of early care and education centers (ECEC), such as preschools and daycares, are an important aspect that can influence preschool-aged children's development, including their gross motor skills. This study examined the association between characteristics of the ECEC environment with preschool children's locomotor skills. The children's locomotor skills were measured using the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) and the locomotor portion of the Children's Activity and Movement in Preschool Study (CHAMPS) motor skills protocol (CMSP), respectively. The characteristics of the ECEC that were measured included outdoor and indoor play environment quality, outdoor and indoor play equipment, screen-time environment quality, and the quality of the ECES's environment policy. Mean (SD) scores for the PACER and CSMP tests were 3.7+/-2.3 laps and 19.0+/-5.5 criteria, respectively, which were associated with each other moderately well. Linear regression analysis found that a better policy environment score was associated with fewer PACER laps. Better outdoor play and screen-time environment quality scores and more outdoor play equipment were positively associated with higher CMSP scores. These findings support that ECEC outdoor environments and screen-time environments that reflect best practice ECEC guidelines are associated with more age-appropriate locomotor skills development in preschool-aged children.

Technical Abstract: Environmental characteristics of early care and education centers (ECECs) are an important context for preschool-aged children's development, but few studies have examined their relationship with children's locomotor skills. We examined the association between characteristics of the ECEC environment with quantitatively (i.e., product-based) and qualitatively (i.e., process-based) measured locomotor skills, using the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) and the locomotor portion of the Children's Activity and Movement in Preschool Study (CHAMPS) motor skills protocol (CMSP), respectively. ECEC characteristics included outdoor and indoor play environment quality, outdoor and indoor play equipment, screen-time environment quality, and policy environment quality. Mean (SD) scores for the PACER (n=142) and CSMP (n=91) were 3.7 +/- 2.3 laps and 19.0 +/- 5.5 criteria, respectively, which were moderately correlated with each other (Pearson r=0.5; p<0.001). Linear regression models revelated that a better policy environment score was associated with fewer PACER laps. Better outdoor play and screen-time environment quality scores and more outdoor play equipment were positively associated with higher CMSP scores. ECEC environments that reflect best practice guidelines may be opportunities for locomotor skills development in preschool-aged children.