title: Physical and Sedentary Activity Levels Among Preschoolers in Home-Based Childcare: A Systematic Review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although preschoolers' physical activity in center-based childcare has received considerable attention, less is known regarding this group's activity levels within home-based childcare. This review aimed to explore and synthesize the literature on preschoolers' physical and sedentary activity levels in home-based childcare. Outdoor playtime was also examined to contribute to the understanding of preschoolers' activity levels within this particular setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine online databases were searched for peer-reviewed, English-language, primary studies that quantitatively measured physical and sedentary activity levels of preschoolers attending home-based childcare. Studies were excluded if they were nonprimary research, if they lacked a preschool-aged sample, if they did not quantitatively measure physical or sedentary activity, or if they took place in an ineligible environment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven articles were included in this review; 3 had objective measures of activity levels, and 4 relied on nonobjective measures. Accelerometry data suggest that preschoolers' average sedentary, moderate-to-vigorous, and total physical activity levels in home-based childcare ranged from 39.5 to 49.6, 1.8 to 9.7, and 10.4 to 33.8 min/hr, respectively. Outdoor playtime appears to be inconsistent in home-based childcare.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physical activity among preschoolers attending home-based childcare appears to be relatively low and widely varied. Sedentary time has received less attention in home-based childcare settings. Future research examining activity levels in this unique environment is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Leigh M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Vanderloo
authors.forename: Olivia J M
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Martyniuk
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tucker
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D000067576:Child Health; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D057185:Sedentary Behavior