Childhood obesity is a major public health concern
affecting children of all ages with an increased incidence
seen in preschoolers over the last few decades (CDC,
2010; Ogden et al., 2010). Energy intake and energy
expenditure through physical activity are key to the
development of overweight and obesity in preschoolers.
Many preschoolers continue to fall short in meeting daily
physical activity requirements set forth by accredited
associations. The purposes of this article were to summarize
clinical recommendations for adequate physical activity in
children 2–5 years old and to identify common factors
associated with physical activity levels in this population.
From this review, we have (a) identified discrepancies in
physical activity recommendations and (b) identified factors
from three broad areas (parental perception, the childcare
setting, and the child's home/neighborhood environment) to
consider when assessing and promoting increased physical
activity among preschoolers.