The 24-hour composition and timing of early childhood movement behaviours: global and national inequalities and associations with health and developmental outcomes

Description of the granted funding

Young children's daily movement behaviour patterns for better health. This project examines how much and when young children move, are sedentary, and sleep during a 24-hour day, and differences in these movement patterns between genders, countries, urban and rural areas, socioeconomic levels, and based on parental mental health and digital media use. The study also investigates how these behaviours relate to motor and cognitive skills and physical and mental health from early childhood to school age. The project uses data from c. 30 countries including c. 30,000 3- and 4-year-old children, and 1,000 children and 1,500 caregivers in Finland. Children's activity levels were measured using wearable devices, they completed motor and cognitive tests, and their health outcomes will be tracked through national registers at age 8. Caregivers answered questionnaires. The findings aim to promote equal opportunities for healthy movement behaviours and guide health promotion strategies.
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Starting year

2025

End year

2029

Granted funding

Elina Engberg Orcid -palvelun logo
479 290 €

Funder

Research Council of Finland

Funding instrument

Academy research fellows

Decision maker

Scientific Council for Biosciences, Health and the Environment
16.06.2025

Other information

Funding decision number

371235

Fields of science

Sport and fitness sciences

Research fields

Liikuntatiede