Comparison of pedometer and accelerometer measures of physical activity during preschool time on 3- to 5-year-old children

Aims: To compare pedometer steps with accelerometer counts and to analyse minutes of engagement in light, moderate and vigorous physical activity in 3- to 5-year-old children during preschool time.

Methods: Physical activity was recorded during preschool time for five consecutive days in 55 three- to five-year-old children. The children wore a Yamax SW200 pedometer and an Actigraph GTIM Monitor.

Results: The average time spent at preschool was 7.22 h/day with an average step of 7313 (±3042). Steps during preschool time increased with increasing age. The overall correlation between mean step counts and mean accelerometer counts (r = 0.67, p < 0.001), as well as time in light to vigorous activity (r = 0.76, p < 0.001), were moderately high. Step counts and moderate to vigorous physical activity minutes were poorly correlated in 3 years old (r = 0.19, p < 0.191) and moderately correlated (r = 0.50, p < 0.001) for children 4 to 5 years old.

Conclusion: Correlation between the preschool children's pedometer-determined step counts and total engagement in physical activity during preschool time was moderately high. Children's step counts at preschool were low, and the time spent in moderate and vigorous physical activity at preschool was very short.