Movement Behaviour in the Early Years: Impact on Health and Development

Movement Behaviour in Early Years: Impact on Health and Development explores the latest evidence on movement behaviour―physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep―in early years (under 6 years old). With chapters covering the epidemiology of movement behaviour, including prevalence, correlates, and determinants as well as methods for measuring movement behaviour, this text outlines the historical development of the 24-hour movement guidelines for early years guidelines and their global dissemination. It examines the prevalence of movement behaviours among young children across various age groups and explores individual and family factors that influence adherence to movement behaviour guidelines. It addresses the challenges of measuring movement behaviour and provides an overview of the analytical methods employed in the existing research.

This book goes on to highlight recent findings on the relationship between meeting the movement behaviour guidelines or the overall composition of 24-hour movement behaviours with health and development outcomes. It discusses recent interventions targeting movement behaviour to improve health outcomes or change behaviour. The book concludes with a review of the existing evidence on movement behaviour in young children, summarising the key findings from each chapter and outlining directions for future research.

This cutting-edge text is key reading for academics and students and all those interested in the evidence and directions of future studies in the field of pediatric physical activity, public health, and related subdisciplines.

Liane Azevedo is a researcher in the field of public health, specialising in the promotion of physical activity among children and adolescents. Her work primarily focuses on early childhood movement behaviours, examining both physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Throughout her career, Professor Azevedo has conducted numerous studies to understand the factors influencing these behaviours and has developed targeted interventions to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour among children and youth. She has a particular interest in how the use of interactive electronic devices, such as tablets and smartphones, at a young age can affect children’s development, health, and overall well-being in the long term.

Wendy Yajun Huang research interest centers on the comprehensive spectrum of 24-hour movement behaviours, encompassing physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep, in children. She is particularly intrigued by the interplay between these time-use elements and how they collectively influence overall health and child development. By leveraging advanced analytic techniques and emerging wearable devices, she seeks to capture a comprehensive picture of daily movement patterns and how holistic interventions can be developed to improve these behaviours. Her recent work also focuses on development of a report card on 24-hour movement behaviour for the early years.