Fundamental motor skill, physical activity, and sedentary behavior in socioeconomically disadvantaged kindergarteners

Gu, Xiangli

doi:10.1080/13548506.2015.1125007

Cited by 32 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…As preschoolers currently perform lower than recommended PA levels by increasing the associated health risk and compromising skill development and later school achievement, we suggest that, based on our results, children would spend more time in structured PA in kindergartens (Gu, 2016;Kippe and Lagestad, 2018;Kobel et al, 2019). Therefore, we suggest that this PEP could be adopted as an educational strategy to improve motor and pre-literacy skills in preschool children, known to be a peculiar growth period for the development of these characteristics.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Effectiveness of a Physical Education Program on the Motor and Pre-literacy Skills of Preschoolers From the Training-To-Health Project: A Focus on Weight Status

Battaglia

Giustino

Tabacchi

et al. 2020

Front. Sports Act. Living

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Many studies reported a positive relationship between motor skills, cognitive functions, and school performance in school-age children; however, little is known in preschool children. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of a physical education program (PEP) on locomotor, object control skills, and pre-literacy cognitive functions in a wide population of preschoolers and verify whether weight status could influence these abilities. In the context of the Training-to-Health Project, a sample of 1,029 preschoolers was recruited in kindergartens from the urban area of Palermo (Italy). Their gross motor and pre-literacy skills were tested before (PRE) and after (POST) following 16 weeks (2 h/week) of a PEP, which included ludic-motor activities aimed at developing body awareness and fundamental motor and perceptual-sensory skills. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) were performed to assess the skills before and after the intervention and to evaluate the effect of different categories of weight status on the examined variables. Regression analyses were conducted to confirm the hypothesized interrelationship between motor and pre-literacy skills in the considered sample. Both locomotor/object control and pre-literacy skills were significantly higher in children after the PEP (p < 0.05). We found 23% of overweight children and no significant difference between weight status classes in both PRE and POST PEP groups. In the POST group, higher locomotor and object control skills were mostly associated with better pre-literacy skills. This study shows that PEP was effective in improving both motor and pre-literacy skills in preschoolers independently from age and gender, while weight status did not affect these skills suggesting that this program can be administrated indifferently in children with different categories of weight status. Therefore, PEP could be a decisive education strategy to enhance motor and cognitive learning in preschool children and to achieve successful academic outcomes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Effectiveness of a Physical Education Program on the Motor and Pre-literacy Skills of Preschoolers From the Training-To-Health Project: A Focus on Weight Status

Battaglia

Giustino

Tabacchi

et al. 2020

Front. Sports Act. Living

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“…Stodden et al’s (2008) [ 51 ] conceptual model suggests that as children age, those with intermediate to higher levels of motor competence and greater PA levels will demonstrate higher performance scores in terms of both locomotor and object control skills [ 51 ], compared to those with less developed FMS. Literature supports the conceptual model [ 51 ], in that during the developmental stage (preschool years), the association between motor competency and PA is weak, but that developing FMS competency is important in reducing sedentary behaviour and increasing PA [ 22 ]. Preschool children with better-developed motor skills spend significantly more time in moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) and significantly less time in sedentary behaviours, than children with less developed motor skills [ 59 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Accelerometer-based physical activity levels, fundamental movement skills and weight status in British preschool children from a deprived area

Roscoe

James

2019

Eur J Pediatr

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Preschool children are recommended to participate in a minimum of 180-min physical activity (PA) per day to enhance their development and overall health. Low PA and increased obesity are thought to be linked to low mastery of fundamental movement skills (FMS) in preschool children. This study sought to investigate whether FMS influences PA levels and weight status in preschool children, in an area of low socioeconomic status. Secondary aims of this study were to determine whether gender or day of the week affected the primary outcomes. One hundred eighty-five preschool children aged 3–4 years old, participated in the study. FMS proficiency was determined using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. PA was determined using triaxial accelerometry over a 4-day period. None of the samples met the recommended 180 min of PA. There were no significant differences in PA or weight status between preschool children with high, medium or low FMS mastery ( P < 0.05). There were also no significant correlations between overall FMS and moderate to vigorous PA during the week or weekend days. Conclusion : Girls scored significantly greater at the hop, leap, and skip (locomotor skills) and the boys significantly higher at the kick (object control) ( P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in PA or weight status between preschool children with high, medium, or low FMS mastery, possibly because FMS mastery had not developed to a high enough level to affect PA and FMS are considered independent of physical fitness and physical features, such as weight and height. What is Known : • FMS are commonly developed in early childhood, providing the building blocks for future motor skills, good health and lifelong PA . • No study to date has measured FMS, PA levels and weight status in preschool children, to determine whether FMS competency influences PA levels and weight status in preschool children, in an area of low SES . What is New : • FMS competency did not appear to influence the level of PA or weight status in this sample of UK preschool children from a low SES area . • PA and FMS may not be fully established and consequently not strongly linked at the ages of 3–4 years, therefore, the preschool years could be influential in providing a window to maximise input of good/optimal development of motor competence before the proficiency barrier sets in and we need remedial intervention .

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“…Stodden and colleagues [13] proposed a conceptual model indicating that developing sufficient FMS competence in childhood may increase the possibilities for children to engage in regular physical activity and influence the trajectory of childhood obesity. Cross-sectional studies support that children's FMS competence is associated with higher levels of physical activity [15], less sedentary behavior [16], higher cardiorespiratory fitness [14], and better weight status [17]. A recent systematic review also indicated that developing sufficient FMS allows children to function effectively and independently for their physical, social, and cognitive growth [18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Effects of a Fundamental Motor Skill-Based Afterschool Program on Children’s Physical and Cognitive Health Outcomes

Lee

Zhang

Chu

et al. 2020

IJERPH

Self Cite

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Globally, more than half of school-aged children do not engage in the recommended 60 minutes of daily moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Given that developing sufficient fundamental motor skills (FMS) competence during early elementary school years is important for a child’s physical and cognitive development, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an 8-week FMS-based afterschool program on physical and cognitive health outcomes among elementary children. Participants were 31 K–2 students (19 girls, 12 boys; Mage = 6.65 ± 0.98) from three public elementary schools in the southwestern United States who were assigned to the intervention group (FMS-based afterschool program; n = 20) or the control group (traditional afterschool program; n = 11). A 2 × 2 repeated measures MANOVA showed significant changes in FMS competence and MVPA between the intervention and the control group over time. However, no significant changes were found in cognitive functioning. The 8-week FMS-based afterschool program showed significant improvements in FMS competence and MVPA, compared to a traditional afterschool program. This finding suggests that structured FMS-focused strategies (e.g., fun games and goal setting) can be a critical component when implementing a physical activity program to enhance children’s motor skills and physical activity behavior.

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Fundamental motor skill, physical activity, and sedentary behavior in socioeconomically disadvantaged kindergarteners

Cited by 32 publications

References 24 publications

Effectiveness of a Physical Education Program on the Motor and Pre-literacy Skills of Preschoolers From the Training-To-Health Project: A Focus on Weight Status

Effectiveness of a Physical Education Program on the Motor and Pre-literacy Skills of Preschoolers From the Training-To-Health Project: A Focus on Weight Status

Accelerometer-based physical activity levels, fundamental movement skills and weight status in British preschool children from a deprived area

Effects of a Fundamental Motor Skill-Based Afterschool Program on Children’s Physical and Cognitive Health Outcomes

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