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Poster Session 5, 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM: Campus Center Auditorium [A32]

Presenter: Gianna Marie Salvati

Faculty Sponsor: Christine Woodward St Laurent

School: UMass Amherst

Research Area: Kinesiology

ABSTRACT

Background: Sedentary behavior has become increasingly common in preschool-aged children, raising concerns given its links to early patterns of poor health and reduced physical development. Understanding why these behaviors occur requires examining not only individual and environmental influences but also broader social determinants of health. Socioeconomic status (SES) may play a critical role in shaping children’s daily movement opportunities, access to safe play areas, and exposure to screen-based activities. Identifying how SES relates to sedentary behavior in early childhood can help clarify disparities across groups and inform targeted strategies to promote healthy activity patterns. Purpose: To determine the associations between socioeconomic factors and sedentary behavior in preschool children. Methods: A cross-sectional study design will be conducted in preschool children of Western, MA, who range from ages 3 to 5 years old. The GENEActiv monitor (worn on non-dominant wrist, 24 hours/day ideally) will estimate daily time spent in sedentary behaviors. Parents/caregivers will complete an online questionnaire to collect data on socioeconomic information such as type of housing, parental education, and employment. Results: Our planned analysis includes multiple linear regression models that will determine the associations between socioeconomic status and sedentary behavior variables. We anticipate that lower parental education and income will be associated with higher sedentary levels in children. Conclusions: This study will help clarify how socioeconomic factors contribute to sedentary behavior in preschoolers. Understanding these relationships is essential to developing equitable interventions that support activity patterns.