Child- and Parent-Related Correlates of Total and Prolonged Sedentary Time in 5-to 6-Year-Old Children

The primary aim was to examine child- and parent-related correlates of accelerometer-assessed overall total and prolonged (i.e., accumulated in bouts of 10 consecutive minutes) sedentary time (SED) in 5- to 6-year-old children. Second, child- and parent-related correlates of total and prolonged SED during weekend days and the after school period were examined, as associations with parent-related correlates may be stronger during these periods. SED and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) were assessed by ActiGraph accelerometers in children (n = 836) and one of their parents/carers. Parents completed a questionnaire examining potential parent-related correlates. Multilevel models examined associations between potential correlates and children's total and prolonged SED. Children's MVPA was the only correlate that was consistently negatively associated with both total and prolonged SED across the different time periods (overall, after school, and weekend days). Higher total SED in parents was associated with higher overall total SED and weekend total SED in children. Higher body mass index z-scores of children were associated with lower overall total and prolonged SED. Girls had lower prolonged SED after school than boys. Older children had lower total SED during the weekend. In conclusion, few potential correlates were associated with young children's total or prolonged SED and most associations differed by time period.