title: Sports activities in preschool children differed between those born to immigrants and native Italians.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite the health benefits of physical activity in early childhood, little is known about sports practices in preschool children with different ethnic origins. The aim of this study was to investigate the sport activity patterns in native and immigrant children in northern Italy. The influence of some child and family determinants on the child's practice of club-organised sport was analysed to plan interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group comprised 2682 preschool children (49.5% girls) aged 5.9 ± 0.3, 2396 fathers and 2478 mothers. All the children had their height and weight measured and their parents completed a self-administered questionnaire on their child's sports participation and family characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sports activities were significantly more frequent in native Italian girls than in native Italian boys and immigrant girls. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the weekly amount of club-organised sport in preschool children was related to the sex and migrant status in the whole sample, to paternal educational level and occupation in the native-born sample and to paternal body mass index, offspring and paternal occupation in the immigrant group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlighted the need to develop specific interventions for native and immigrant preschool children to promote a healthy lifestyle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zaccagni
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Science, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toselli
authors.affiliation: Public Health Service, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Celenza
authors.affiliation: Public Health Service, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Augusta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albertini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gualdi-Russo
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D013177:Sports / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Early childhood; Family conditioning; Immigration; Sport