However , total PA , sedentary behaviour , and different PA intensities were not associated with body mass index ( BMI ) or waist circumference .
Adiposity levels were lower among preschool children engaged in more ( moderate-to- ) vigorous PA compared with their peers , but no associations  between  PA and BMI or waist circumference were found
Evidence on the association between  physical activity ( PA ) and adiposity in young children is inconclusive .
A systematic review and meta-analyses were conducted to examine associations between accelerometer-derived PA and varying adiposity outcomes  in preschool children .
Correlates of preschool children’s objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behavior: a cross-sectional analysis of the SPLASHY study
Background Identifying ways to promote physical activity and decrease sedentary time during childhood is a key public health issue . Research on the putative influences on preschool children ’s  physical activity ( PA ) and  sedentary behavior  ( SB ) is limited and has yielded inconsistent results . Our aim was to identify correlates of PA and SB in preschool children . Methods Cross-sectional data were drawn from the Swiss Preschoolers ’ Health Study ( SPLASHY ) , a Swiss population -based cohort study . Of 476 two to six year old children , 394 ( 54 % boys ) had valid PA data assessed by accelerometry .  Information on exposure data was directly measured or extracted from parental question naires . Multilevel linear regression modeling was used to separately assess associations between 35 potential correlates and  total PA ( TPA ) , moderate-to-vigorous PA ( MVPA ) and SB . Results In total , 12 correlates from different domains were identified . TPA and MVPA were greater in boys than girls , increased with age and were positively associated with gross motor skills . Children from single parent families had a higher level of TPA and spent less time sedentary than those living with two parents . Time spent outdoors was positively associated with TPA and negatively with SB . The child ’s activity temperament was related all three outcomes , whereas parental sports club membership , living area per person and neighborhood safety were associated with SB only . Fixed and r and om factors in the final models accounted for 28 % , 32 % and 22 % of the total variance in TPA , MVPA and SB , respectively . Variance decomposition revealed that age , sex and activity temperament were the most influential correlates of both , TPA and MVPA , whereas the child ’s activity temperament , time outdoors and neighborhood safety were identified as the most important correlates of SB . Conclusions A multidimensional set of correlates of young children ’s  activity behavior has been identified . Personal factors had the greatest influence on PA , whereas environmental-level factors had the greatest influence on SB . Moreover , we identified a number of previously unreported , potentially modifiable correlates of young children ’s PA and SB . These factors could serve to define target groups or become valuable targets for change in future interventions .Trial registration Current Controlled Trials IS RCT N41045021 ( date of registration : 21.03.14 )
However , total PA , sedentary behaviour , and different PA intensities were not associated with body mass index ( BMI ) or waist circumference .
Adiposity levels were lower among preschool children engaged in more ( moderate-to- ) vigorous PA compared with their peers , but no associations  between  PA and BMI or waist circumference were found
Evidence on the association between  physical activity ( PA ) and adiposity in young children is inconclusive .
A systematic review and meta-analyses were conducted to examine associations between accelerometer-derived PA and varying adiposity outcomes  in preschool children .