Suboptimal status of tummy time for infants in early childhood education institutions in urban China: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background Although tummy time is recommended as a form of physical activity for non-movable infants worldwide, little is known regarding the current status of tummy time practices among Chinese infants. Early childhood education (ECE) institutions provide children with rich learning experiences; however, tummy time practices among infants in these ECE institutions were unclear. This study aimed to investigate the status of tummy time among infants within the context of ECE institutions. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey with primary caregivers of infants aged 0–11 months across 31 provinces of China from 1 March to 30 April 2023. To recruit participants, we collaborated with Gymboree Play & Music, an ECE institution with over 500 centres in nearly 200 cities in urban China. Our survey instrument was developed based on the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and literature to collect data on infants’ tummy time practices, caregivers’ tummy time knowledge and information sources. We used self-administered questionnaires through WeChat, in which participants scanned a quick response (QR) code to complete the questionnaire. Results We included 1040 infants and their primary caregivers, with 504 infants aged 0–5 and 536 infants aged 6–11 months old. Less than half of infants (48.2%) started tummy time in the neonatal period, with 20.5% starting within two weeks after birth. Only 27.2% of infants engaged in at least 30 minutes of tummy time during the last 24 hours, with infants aged 0–5 months significantly lower than those aged 6–11 months (21.6 vs 32.5%, P < 0.0001). No significant difference was found between attending ECE class and non-attending ECE class groups for the proportion of infants with tummy time ≥30 minutes per day (28.9 vs 23.4%, P = 0.0625); however, infants aged 0–5 months in the attending group engaged in longer duration of tummy time than those in the non-attending group ( P = 0.0005). The compliance with the tummy time guidelines in infants receiving long-nurturing care was significantly higher than those receiving short-nurturing care (30.4 vs 22.1%, P = 0.0036). Only 42.7% of caregivers knew that at least 30 minutes daily tummy time was necessary for infant, and more primary caregivers in the attending group knew that, compared to the non-attending group (45.3 vs 36.8%, P = 0.0098). Conclusions The current status of infants’ tummy time practices and caregivers’ knowledge are generally suboptimal within the context of ECE institutions in urban China. Longer nurturing time contributes to higher compliance with tummy time guidelines. Effectively promoting tummy time practices through multiple channels in China is crucial.