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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Trying to get your pre-school kids to exercise may help them be healthier as they get older, but it may not make a big difference on their current weight.
Researchers from Glasgow, Scotland, looked at 545 pre-school children to see whether exercising more could reduce their body mass index (BMI). They found physical activity is not likely to have a significant effect in reducing their levels of obesity.
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The children in the study were an average of 4.2 years old. They took part in a 30-minute active play program three times a week in nursery school. Their parents were also told how to increase the pre-schoolers' physical activity at home. Researchers measured the children's BMI levels after six months and then again after a year. They also measured whether exercising more reduced sedentary behavior and/or increased physical activity in general.
Researchers report exercising more had little effect on BMI or on the children's activity behaviors. But it did help improve their motor and movement skills. Researchers say this could increase activity levels by making them more confident, which could affect the levels of body fat over the long term.
The authors conclude to prevent obesity in early childhood, there need to be changes in the "wider environment" in addition to the ones at school and at home. They also suggest changes in the children's diets.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: British Medical Journal, published online Oct. 5, 2006
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