Mediating Effect of Motor Competence on the Relationship between Physical Activity and Quality of Life in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

This study examined the mediating role of motor competence in the association between physical activity (PA) and quality of life (QoL) and the moderating role of age in the indirect relationship between PA and QoL in children with ADHD. Eighty-six children aged 6-12 years old (, SD = 1.40 , 17.4% girls) with the diagnosis of ADHD were recruited in this study. Participants wore a wGT3X-BT accelerometer on their wri M age = 8.45 st for seven consecutive days to measure PA. Motor competence was measured by the Test of Gross Motor Development-Third Edition (TGMD-3). Quality of life (QoL) was assessed by the parent-reported Chinese version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. MVPA was positively associated with object control skills but was not directly related to QoL. Using the bootstrapping method, the indirect effect of object control was found between MVPA and social functioning (0.10, 95 % CI = 0.01 , 0.21 ), school functioning (0.09, 95 % CI = 0.01 , 0.18 ), and overall QoL (0.07, 95 % CI = 0.01 , 0.16 ), supporting the full mediation effect. Moderated mediation analysis further revealed that age strengthened the indirect effect from MVPA to social and school functioning via object control. Findings of this study indicated that MVPA is positively associated with object control skills, which in turn, is related to psychological aspects of QoL in children with ADHD. Age was found to moderate the indirect mediation paths. The findings may inform future expeditions on designing an effective intervention that helps to improve MC and QoL in children with ADHD.

Is Foundational Movement Skill Competency Important for Keeping Children Physically Active and at a Healthy Weight?

This longitudinal study examines the associations between foundational movement skills (FMS) competency, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and weight status among children (n = 75) attending preschools in deprived areas from early to late childhood. Twelve FMS were assessed using the Children’s Activity and Movement in Preschool Motor Skills Protocol and video analysis. Physical activity was measured via hip-mounted accelerometry. Data was collected over a five-year period, with Baseline Follow Up data collected between 2010 and 2015. There was an overall pattern of increase for total, object-control and locomotor scores between Baseline and Follow-Up. Conversely, there was an overall pattern of decline for MVPA among participants. There was a positive significant (p < 0.05) association between total and locomotor scores and MVPA at Baseline. However, these associations weakened over time and no significant associations were found at Follow-Up. Baseline competency failed to predict Follow-Up MVPA or weight status. Likewise, Baseline MVPA was not found to be a predictor of Follow-Up FMS competency. Further longitudinal research is required to explore these associations among children from highly deprived areas. Future interventions may require a more holistic approach to improving FMS competency and increasing PA in order to account for the number of variables that can affect these outcomes.

There Is an Inverse Correlation between Basic Motor Skills and Overweight in Schoolchildren Aged 8 to 12

In the last three decades, childhood obesity has become a 21st century epidemic, a product of social development. The purpose of this study was to analyze the repercussions that overweight and obesity have for the basic motor skills of a group of children in primary school, as well as their interrelations. We analyzed a sample of 287 students from Spain, aged between 8 and 12 years. Anthropometric data were taken to determine their Body Mass Index (BMI). A scale of assessment of basic motor skills was used to evaluate their motor skills. The BMI data revealed that 11% of this sample was considered obese, and 26% was overweight. Children showed higher competence in locomotor skills than in object control and turn and rolling skills, for which motor competence levels were lower. Likewise, there was an inverse relationship between BMI and basic motor skills; children with obesity had the lowest levels of motor skills, and there was a significant difference regarding non-obese children (p ≤ 0.05). These results showed that overweight and obese children have lower basic motor skills, which can lead to the abandonment of physical activity and the preference for other activities that reinforce a sedentary lifestyle.

La competencia motriz en estudiantes chilenos de 3° y 4° de educación básica. Aprendizajes esperados versus realidad (Motor competence in Chilean students in 3rd and 4th grade of primary school. Expected learning versus reality)

Este estudio busca determinar los niveles de competencia motriz de estudiantes chilenos y las posibles diferencias en función del grado y del sexo. Participaron 377 estudiantes (37.7% niñas) de tercer y cuarto básico. La competencia motriz fue evaluada a través del test MOBAK 3-4. Se encontraron bajos niveles de competencia motriz. Los estudiantes de cuarto grado presentan un mejor desempeño motriz que los de tercero. Los niños presentan un mayor desempeño que las niñas en control de objetos, mientras que las niñas obtienen puntajes más altos que los niños en control del cuerpo, aunque con un tamaño del efecto irrelevante. Al contrastar estos resultados con los objetivos del currículum, muchos estudiantes no alcanzan los aprendizajes esperados, siendo necesario poner mayor énfasis en el fomento de la competencia motriz. Abstract. This study aims to determine the levels of motor competence of Chilean students and possible differences according to grade and gender. 377 students (37.7% girls) of the third and fourth grade participated in the study. Motor competence was evaluated through the MOBAK 3-4 test. Low levels of motor competence were found. Fourth grade students showed a better motor performance than third grade students. Boys performed better than girls in object control, while girls scored higher than boys in self-movement, although with an irrelevant effect size. When these results are contrasted with the learning objectives stipulated in the curriculum, many students do not achieve the expected skills, what makes it necessary to place greater emphasis on the promotion of motor competence.

Design of a grasping robot control system using kinematics model

Aiming at the problem of mechanized and repeated parts grasping, and aiming to reduce the development cost, this study added an end-effector and designed a ROS-based grasping robot control system on the basis of fully analyzing the structure and workflow of the robot. The grasping robot can be controlled and monitored in real time by operating on the RVIZ interface. According to the needs and process of grasping work, the control system process design and control system programming of the robot are completed. Subsequent simulation experiments and real object control experiments show that the control system has high robustness and real-time performance. The control system can meet the task of mechanization and repeated parts grasping, and can effectively improve the production efficiency, enhance the competitiveness of enterprises, and reduce the cost of enterprises.

Evaluation of Afterschool Activity Programs’ (ASAP) Effect on Children’s Physical Activity, Physical Health, and Fundamental Movement Skills

Background Physical literacy-focused afterschool activity programs (ASAPs) can be an effective strategy to improve children’s health-related parameters. We sought to compare physical activity, body composition, aerobic capacity, and fundamental movement skills between physical literacy-focused ASAP and a standard recreational ASAP. Method A pre–post (6 months) comparison study was conducted in 5- to 12-year-old children in a physical literacy-focused ASAP (physical literacy group, n = 14) and children attending a standard recreational ASAP (comparison group, n = 15). Physical activity guideline adherence was assessed using accelerometry, body composition was analyzed using bioelectrical impedance, aerobic capacity was estimated using the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run test, and fundamental movement skills were evaluated using the Test of Gross Motor Development–2. Results There were no significant differences between groups at baseline. After 6 months, the physical literacy group exhibited a significant improvement in their total raw score for the Test of Gross Motor Development–2 ( p = .016), which was likely due to improvements in object control skills ( p = .024). The comparison group significantly increased body mass index ( p = .001) and body fat ( p = .009) over time. No significant between-group differences were found; however, there was a trend for improved aerobic capacity in the physical literacy group ( d = 0.58). Conclusions Engagement in the physical literacy-focused ASAP contributed to an attenuated increase in adiposity and an improvement in object control skills.