Sedentary lifestyle of adolescents can be determined even before a child enters preschool
A pioneering study followed nearly 1,700 children for more than a decade to see how early habits affect long-term health.
According to what was published on the “Neuroscience News” website, researchers from the Universities of Montreal and Ottawa found that three specific behaviors at the age of two and a half, namely active play with parents, limiting screen use, and regular sleep, are strong indicators of how active a child will be at the age of 12.
The study confirms that movement habits are not just personality traits, but rather foundations built in early childhood whose effects continue for a decade of growth.
According to the World Health Organization, nearly 80% of adolescents worldwide do not get enough physical activity.
But the results of the new study suggest that the seeds of a sedentary, or active, lifestyle may be sown much earlier than previously thought, such as when a child is two and a half years old.
The study, conducted by Dr. Kianoush Harandian and Professor Linda Pagani, a professor of educational psychology at the University of Montreal, in collaboration with Dr. Marc Tremblay, a world expert on physical activity at the University of Ottawa, showed that active play with parents, limiting screen use, and getting enough sleep in early childhood strongly predict a more physically active lifestyle a decade later.
Dr. Harandian said: “When analyzing the data, it became clear that less than one in ten children naturally met all three recommendations for daily movement. But these early habits are extremely important, as they lay the foundation for how children choose to spend their time in adolescence.”
The results were striking: each additional “good” physical habit at age two and a half was associated with approximately five more minutes of outdoor play per day at age 12, for both boys and girls. For girls, active play, limited screen time, and adequate sleep at age two and a half were associated with higher levels of leisure-time physical activity, both in intensity and frequency.
Dr. Harandian added: “It appears that spending active time together as a parent and child, through play, movement, and physical participation, is the most powerful factor of all for establishing long-term healthy habits. These shared experiences help children associate movement with fun, stimulation, and routine.”
The findings also highlight a worrying fact: adolescent girls are more at risk of inactivity. By age 12, only 14.9% of girls were active in their free time, compared to 24.5% of boys.
Pagani explained that “family habits influence a child’s habits throughout their development. By encouraging active play, setting limits on screen use, and prioritizing good sleep from a young age, parents exert a lasting and measurable influence on their children’s long-term health.”
The study calls for wider dissemination of the World Health Organization’s guidelines for children under five, which stipulate at least 180 minutes of physical activity per day, no more than one hour of screen time, and 11 to 14 hours of sleep.
It also emphasizes the need for hospitals, schools, and public health organizations to focus on family lifestyle habits from the outset.
