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Conference Agenda

Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).

Daily Overview

Session

WR2_2_1: Abstract presentations: Active Living in Natural and Urban Environments
Location: White room 2
Session Chair: Berry van Holland

Presentation 8

10:58am - 11:01am

Natural Environment Features and Early Childhood Physical Activity and Sedentary Time: the SUNRISE Finland Study

Ulla-Maija Luoma^1,3,4,5, Elina Engberg^5,6, Karoliina Uusitalo^5,6, Eva Roos^5,7,8, Soile Puhakka^1,3,4, Tea Karppanen^5,9, Nanna Wackström^5,6, Riitta Pyky¹, Anna-Maiju Leinonen^1,4,10, Raija Korpelainen^1,3,4, Tiina Lankila^1,2,3,4

1: Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Oulu Deaconess Institute Foundation sr., Oulu, Finland; 2: The Geography Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; 3: Research Unit of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; 4: Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; 5: Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland; 6: Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; 7: Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; 8: Department of Food Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; 9: University of Turku, Faculty of Education, Rauma, Finland; 10: Research Unit of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

Background: Access to green and blue spaces has been linked to physical activity (PA) in older children and adults, but evidence is limited in early childhood using objective measures of both PA and residential natural features.

Purpose: This study examined associations between natural landscape features and PA and sedentary time in early childhood.

Methods: Cross-sectional data were drawn from 917 children aged 3–4 years in the SUNRISE Finland study. PA and sedentary time were assessed with ActiGraph accelerometers for seven days. Natural features (forests, fields, waters, swamps) within 100, 300, 500 and 1000 m buffers around homes were quantified using CORINE land cover data. Linear regression analysed associations with light (LPA), moderate (MPA) and vigorous (VPA) PA and sedentary time.

Results: Associations between residential natural features and PA/sedentary time were generally weak. Within 100 m, swamps were positively associated with VPA (β=0.50, 95% CI 0.09–0.91) and waters with sedentary time (β=1.95, 95% CI 0.02–3.88). In larger buffers, forests within 1000 m were positively associated with LPA (β=0.36, 95% CI 0.07–0.65) and waters with VPA (β=0.04, 95% CI 0.01–0.07). Associations differed by urbanicity, with more significant relationships among rural children, particularly for forests and swamps.

Conclusion: Residential natural features showed limited, context-dependent associations with children’s PA and sedentary time. Forests in a wider home radius may support LPA, while nearby features (e.g., fields or swamps) may support VPA. Findings may inform early childhood health promotion and urban planning.

Support/Funding Source: Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation