Overall, in spite of the immense amount of literature that
examines the growing problem of childhood obesity across
the life span, there is a relative lack of research that examines
physical activity levels specifically in the preschool population.
Although this age group was once thought to be
extremely active, research suggests that overall, many
activities in which preschoolers engage are actually sedentary
in nature. This results in surprisingly low levels of physical
activity and likely contributes to the increasing prevalence of
obesity in these children. Studies of preschoolers' physical
activity are a vital missing component within the literature
because past studies have shown that children in the preschool
years begin to develop lifestyle behaviors that are carried into
late childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Future research
on this topic is needed to better understand exactly how much
and what type of physical activity preschooler's engage in and
what interventions can be instituted to increase their overall
physical activity levels. Developing specific interventions
that focus on preventing obesity in preschoolers will result in
better overall psychological and physical health, will improve
quality of life, and will be a key factor in decreasing steadily
rising health care costs.