Longitudinal Associations Between Movement Behaviours and Development Among Infants Using Compositional Data Analysis.
Valerie Carson, Zhiguang Zhang, Madison Boyd and 2 others
PMID 39704390WHAT IT FOUND
More tummy time and sleep linked to better gross motor skills.
More time on back linked to delays. Time in strollers or high chairs helped communication but slowed sitting. Optimal daily minutes for motor development: 43 tummy, 51 back, 96 restrained, 845 sleep.
Key findings
01Higher tummy time was associated with more advanced gross motor development and earlier independent standing and walking.
02Higher back time was associated with less advanced gross motor development and later achievement of crawling, assisted standing, and independent standing.
03The optimal daily durations for gross motor development were 43 minutes of tummy time, 51 minutes of back time, 96 minutes of restrained time, and 845 minutes of sleep.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Small sample size (93 infants) limits generalizability and statistical power. Movement behaviours were measured subjectively via parent diaries, which are prone to recall and social desirability bias. The study defined 'back time' as sedentary, but it is unknown if infants were actually still or active during this period. Time spent being held or feeding was excluded from the analysis, so the impact of these common activities is unclear. Associations do not prove causation; the study identifies patterns, not definitive causes of delay.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was part of the Early Movers project, which received funding from Alberta Health Services and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these associations as proof that changing a baby's daily schedule will definitely improve their development. The study is observational and small, so it shows a link, not a cause.