There are limited studies measuring both FMS and PA following an FMS intervention, especially in school-aged children. Results indicate that training pre-schoolers at least three times a week in FMS can improve proficiency, increase intensity of PA, and reduce SB, possibly helping to reduce the burden of childhood obesity and its associated health risks.
Fundamental motor skills (FMS) are the building blocks to specialist movements that are used throughout one's life in all forms of physical activity (PA) and sports involvement. FMS are acquired through a combination of active play and structured exercise programs. The preschool years have been identified as the critical time to develop FMS Active children experience health benefits such as decreased systolic blood pressure, depressive symptoms, weight gain, and improved concentration, academic performance and bone mineral density. Links have been identified between FMS proficiency and increased PA levels. This study aims to develop and deliver a structured FMS program for preschool aged children (age 3-5 years) in a childcare setting and determine whether it is associated with a change in PA levels and anthropometric measures.A randomized cluster control design will be employed. PLAYFun is a 12-week, games based FMS program aimed to provide children with the chance to learn, practice and develop their FMS within a preschool setting. Participants will be recruited from 4 childcare centres and will be eligible if they are aged 3-5 years and do not have developmental delay/chronic conditions that inhibit participation in PA. Centres will be randomized using concealed allocation. The control group will continue to receive usual childcare play activities while the intervention group will receive a supervised FMS intervention 2-5 sessions/week for 30 minutes duration in addition to usual childcare activities. Outcome measures will be measured pre-, post and 12-weeks post intervention. Intention to treat analysis will be used and effects on the primary outcomes will be calculated by difference between mean group scores accounting for baseline scores.The authors believe the childcare setting may provide the ideal environment to emphasize the development of movement patterns that will be used throughout life and potentially enhance participation in physical activity.
Purpose: To determine the effect of a 12-week fundamental motor skill (FMS) program on FMS and physical activity (PA) on preschool-aged children. Method: A cluster randomized controlled trial. The intervention (PhysicaL ActivitY and Fundamental Motor Skills in Pre-schoolers [PLAYFun] Program) was a 12-week games-based program, delivered directly to the children in childcare centers by exercise physiologists. Children in the control arm received the usual preschool curriculum. Outcomes included FMS competence (Test of Gross Motor Development-2) and PA (accelerometer) assessed at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks (12-wk postintervention). Results: Fifty children (mean age = 4.0 [0.6] y; 54% male) were recruited from 4 childcare centers. Two centers were randomized to PLAYFun and 2 centers were randomized to the waitlist control group. Children attended on average 2.0 (1.0) 40-minute sessions per week. The PLAYFun participants demonstrated significant increases in object control (P < .001) and total FMS (P = .010) competence at week 12, compared with controls in a group × time interaction. Girls, but not boys, in PLAYFun significantly increased moderate to vigorous PA after the intervention (P = .004). These increases were not maintained 12-week postcompletion of PLAYFun. Conclusions: The PLAYFun Program is effective at improving FMS competence in boys and girls and increasing PA in girls. However, improvements are not maintained when opportunities to practice are not sustained.
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