This study explored parents’ and preschool
personnel’s opinions on factors influencing 3–5-year-old
children’s sedentary behaviors by applying the socioeco￾logical model. Four focus group interviews with preschool
personnel (N = 14) and six interviews with parents
(N = 17) were conducted in autumn 2014. Two research￾ers independently analyzed the data. A key finding was that
the factors influencing children’s sedentary behaviors were
recognized at all levels of the socioecological model.
Parents and personnel acknowledged that children’s age,
gender, and personal characteristics had an influence on the
incidence of sedentary behaviors. The physical and social
environments at home and at preschool seemed to work in
a synergetic way. Sedentary behavior was focused on
screens at home because of the wide variety of screens
available for children to use. On the other hand, the exis￾tence and use of screens in preschools were rare. The
routines and structures of the daily agenda in preschool
define the sedentary behaviors, and how much children sit
is dependent on personnel’s motivation. Hurriedness and
lack of rules at home increased children’s sedentary
behaviors. Overall, the vast majority of the preschool
personnel and parents shared an understanding that the
children in their care were not sedentary. The findings of
this study support the use of the socioecological model in
shedding light on the sedentary behaviors of preschool
children. Interventions targeted at diminishing preschool
children’s sedentary behaviors should focus on different
aspects of sedentary behaviors at home and at preschool.

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Tersedia

• Applying a Socioecological Model to Understand Preschool Children’s Sedentary Behaviors from the Viewpoints of Parents and Preschool Personnel

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