Table 1.
Characteristics of the included reviews (n = 10).
| Author, Year | Eligibility (Population, Setting, Design) |
Recommended Broad Practices [12] Addressed | Intervention (Duration) Comparator |
Number of Relevant Studies; Year of Publication Range; Countries; Total Number of Studies Included in Each Review |
Relevant Outcomes; Method of Synthesis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broekhuizen, 2014 [23] | Population: Aged 2–18 years Setting: (Pre)schools Design: Noncontrolled trials and RCTs |
Create a physical environment that promotes physical activity | Intervention: Interventions on (pre)school playgrounds, defined as spaces located on (pre)school properties that were specifically designed for outdoor play and sports activities for children (range: from 18 weeks to 12 months) Comparator: NR |
5 relevant studies; 2006 to 2012; US (3), Belgium (2) Total included: 33 studies |
Physical activity levels; Narrative |
| Engel, 2018 [31] | Population: Aged 3–5 years and/or 5–12 years Setting: NR Design: Controlled trials |
Provide opportunities for children to be physically active (the more the better) | Intervention: Fundamental movement skill interventions in preschool (range: from 10 weeks to 18 months) Comparator: Any control |
10 relevant studies; 2006 to 2016; NR Total included: 14 studies |
Physical activity, MVPA, sedentary behaviour; Meta-analysis |
| Finch, 2016 [24] | Population: Aged < 6 years, with no diagnosed diseases or health problems Setting: Centre-based childcare Design: RCTs |
Provide opportunities for children to be physically active (the more the better); Create a physical environment that promotes physical activity | Intervention: Interventions to improve physical activity among children aged 0–6 years attending childcare (range: from 2 days to 12 months) Comparator: Any control |
17 relevant studies; 2006 to 2014; US (7), Australia (2), Switzerland (2), Belgium (2), Germany (1), Israel (1), England (1), Scotland (1) Total included: 17 studies |
Physical activity levels;Meta-analysis |
| Hnatuik, 2019 [25] | Population: Aged 0–5.9 years Setting: NR Design: RCTs and controlled trials |
Educators to promote the benefits of physical activity with children | Intervention: Interventions to increase physical activity in 0–5-year-olds (NR) Comparator: Any control |
27 relevant studies; 2006 to 2016; NR for relevant studies Total included: 34 studies |
MVPA; Meta-analysis and narrative |
| Ling, 2015 [32] | Population: Preschool age (2–5 years); Setting: Any setting Design: Included a control or comparison group |
NA | Intervention: Interventions to increase physical activity or decrease sedentary activity in any setting (range: from 6 weeks to 12 months) Comparator: Any control or comparison |
21 relevant studies; 2003 to 2014; US (10), Switzerland (2), Australia (2), United Kingdom (2), Belgium (2), Germany (1), Scotland (1), Israel (1) Total included: 23 studies |
Physical activity levels; Narrative |
| Mehtala, 2014 [28] | Population: Aged 2–6 years with no diagnosed diseases or health problems Setting: Centre-based childcare Design: RCTs, quasi-experimental, before/after, pilot and feasibility study designs |
Provide opportunities for children to be physically active (the more the better); Offer educator training to provide safe and developmentally appropriate physical activity |
Intervention: Childcare-aged children’s physical activity promotion programs in a childcare setting (range: from 2 days to 12 months) Comparator: NR |
23 relevant studies; 1993 to 2013; US (17), Belgium (2), Switzerland (1), Scotland (1), Australia (1), Israel (1) Total included: 23 studies |
Physical activity levels; Narrative |
| Peden, 2018 [26] | Population: Aged 0–5 years Setting: Licenced public or commercial early childhood and care settings Design: RCTs or pilot studies |
Offer educator training to provide safe and developmentally appropriate physical activity | Intervention: Childcare-based physical activity interventions, incorporated professional learning and reported objectively measured physical activity (range: from 8 weeks to 2 years) Comparator: Any control |
11 relevant studies; 2008 to 2016; US (7), Australia (2), United Kingdom (1), Switzerland (1) Total included: 11 studies |
Physical activity levels; Narrative |
| Van Capelle, 2017 [27] | Population: Aged 3–5 years Setting: Preschool Design: RCTs and controlled trials |
Provide opportunities for children to be physically active (the more the better) | Intervention: Fundamental movement skills intervention (>4 weeks) Comparator: Usual playground activity | 4 relevant studies; 1996 to 2016; NR Total: 20 studies |
Counts per minute, % time in MVPA, sedentary duration; Meta-analysis |
| Ward, 2015 [29] | Population: Preschoolers Setting: Formal childcare Design: All types |
Educators to promote the benefits of physical activity to children | Intervention: Childcare educators’ practices or behaviours affect children’s physical activity or eating behaviours (NR) Comparator: NR |
6 relevant studies; 2008 to 2015; US (6) Total included: 15 studies |
Physical activity levels; Narrative |
| Wolfenden, 2020 [30] | Population: Centre-based childcare services (and staff thereof) such as preschools, nurseries, long-day care services and kindergartens that cater for children prior to compulsory schooling. Setting: Centre-based childcare services Design: Any study (randomised, including cluster-randomised, or nonrandomised) with a parallel control group |
NA | Intervention: Any strategy with the primary intent of improving the implementation of policies, practices or programmes in centre-based childcare services to promote healthy eating, physical activity or prevent unhealthy weight gain (NR) Comparator: Any parallel control |
5 relevant studies; 2014 to 2018; US (3), Australia (2) Total included: 21 studies |
Physical activity levels; Narrative |
RCT: randomised controlled trial; NR: not reported; US: United States; MVPA: moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.