The impact of early childhood education and care-based interventions on child physical activity, anthropometrics, fundamental movement skills, cognitive functioning, and social-emotional wellbeing: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Luke Giles, Hannah Lamont, Amy Anderson, Lucy Leigh, Melanie Lum, Nicole Pearson, Sze Lin Yoong, Alice Grady, Ashleigh Stuart, Rebecca Lorch, Maria Romiti

Journal: Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity 2025;26(2):e13852

PMID: 39511821

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Abstract

This review assessed the effectiveness of ECEC-based interventions to improve child physical activity, and intervention impact on child weight-based anthropometrics, fundamental movement skills (FMS), cognitive functioning, and social-emotional wellbeing. Adverse effects and costs were assessed. Finch et al's 2014 systematic review was updated. Electronic databases were searched 10 September 2014 to 27 October 2022. Included studies were randomized controlled trials of ECEC interventions targeting physical activity among children aged 0-6 years. The methodological quality of studies was assessed using Cochrane's Risk of Bias tool v2. Standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated for each outcome with meta-analysis undertaken; otherwise, findings were described narratively. Fifty-three studies were included. ECEC-based interventions were found to significantly improve child physical activity (SMD 0.193, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09 to 0.3; p < 0.001) and FMS (SMD 0.544, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.98; p = 0.015), compared to control. Small positive, but non-significant, effects were found for weight-based anthropometrics, cognitive functioning, and social-emotional wellbeing. Few studies reported adverse effects (n = 10), and no studies reported formal economic analyses. While ECEC-based interventions can significantly improve child physical activity and FMS, further evidence of their impact on cognitive functioning, social-emotional wellbeing, and the cost-effectiveness of such interventions is required to inform policy and practice.

Address: School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.; Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Newcastle, Australia.; Population Health Research Group, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Australia.; National Centre of Implementation Science (NCOIS), University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.; School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.; Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Newcastle, Australia.; Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Newcastle, Australia.; School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.; Population Health Research Group, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Australia.; National Centre of Implementation Science (NCOIS), University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.; School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.; Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Newcastle, Australia.; Population Health Research Group, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Australia.; School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.; Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Newcastle, Australia.; Population Health Research Group, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Australia.; National Centre of Implementation Science (NCOIS), University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.; Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.; Data Sciences, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia.; National Centre of Implementation Science (NCOIS), University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.; Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.

DOI: 10.1111/obr.13852

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MeSH Terms: Humans, Cognition, Child, Preschool, Exercise, Child, Infant, Motor Skills, Pediatric Obesity, Anthropometry, Early Intervention, Educational