Outdoor Play During Preschool Reduces Obesity Risk in Children

Children who play outdoors during their preschool years are less likely to become obese later in childhood.

Outdoor Play Habits in Japanese Children

The research published in Acta Paediatrica conducted a study on children born in Japan for a specific two-week period in 2001. They collected data on the outdoor play habits of over 42,000 children of age 2.5 (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Outdoor playing during preschool was associated with a reduced risk of school-age obesity in Japan

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Parents were asked where their children usually played, with options of gardens and parks, streets, supermarkets, playgrounds, forests, or beaches.

If a child played in any of these outdoor spaces, it was considered to have regular outdoor play. It was noted that 91% of the children in the study had the habit of playing outdoor sports.

Impact of Outdoor Play on Childhood Obesity

In follow-up surveys when the children were 7 years old, 31,743 of 42,812 (74%) children had height and weight data, with 10% classified as overweight or obese.

Compared with children without exposure to outdoor play, children with outdoor play habits had 15% lower odds of being overweight or obese, after adjusting for other influencing factors.

“We suggest that parents and caregivers encourage outdoor play habits in their children at an early age, as this may help prevent obesity later in life,” said corresponding author Takahiro Tsuge, MPH, of Kurashiki Medical Center.

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Reference:

1. Outdoor playing during preschool was associated with a reduced risk of school-age obesity in Japan - (https:onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/apa.17441?)

Source-Eurekalert