Small fish, big pond: The role of health-related fitness and perceived athletic competence in mediating the physical activity-motor competence relationship during the transition from primary to secondary school

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (22) ◽  
pp. 2538-2548 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ú. Britton ◽  
S. Belton ◽  
J. Issartel
Author(s):  
Tao Zhang ◽  
Joonyoung Lee ◽  
Tsz Lun (Alan) Chu ◽  
Changzhou Chen ◽  
Xiangli Gu

Promoting physical activity (PA) and eliminating health disparities among underserved minority children is a public health priority. The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of actual motor competence (a set of object control skills) and perceived motor competence with PA participation and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among underserved Hispanic children who were born in the U.S. Guided by Stodden et al.’s conceptual model, we tested the direct and indirect effects (mediational model) of actual motor competence on health-related outcomes (PA and HRQoL) through perceived motor competence. Participants were 215 underserved Hispanic children (Mage = 10.55 years, SD = 0.53 [age range 10–12]; 51.6% boys), recruited from four elementary schools in the southwestern U.S., who completed validated questionnaires assessing their perceived motor competence, PA, and HRQoL. Their actual motor skills were assessed using PE MetricsTM. After examining the associations among the variables, we tested the hypothesized model using structural equation modeling (SEM; AMOS 25). The hypothesized model indicated a good fit (χ²/df = 38.427/24 = 1.60 < 5; non-normed fit index (NFI) = 0.93; comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.968; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.053 [0.016, 0.083]). The effect of actual motor competence on PA and HRQoL was fully mediated by perceived motor competence. The findings demonstrated the mediating role of perceived motor competence between actual motor competence and health-related outcomes (PA and HRQoL) among underserved Hispanic children. The results highlight that actual motor competence significantly predicted underserved Hispanic children’ perceived motor competence, which in turn positively predicted their PA and HRQoL. These findings have significant practical implications for future intervention strategies of randomized clinical trials in schools aimed at promoting PA and HRQoL and eliminating health disparities among underserved Hispanic children.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 301-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan M. Hulteen ◽  
Lisa M. Barnett ◽  
Philip J. Morgan ◽  
Leah E. Robinson ◽  
Christian J. Barton ◽  
...  

Participation in lifelong physical activities, such as yoga, golf, tennis, or running, are common endeavors in adolescence and adulthood. However, there is a lack of understanding of how competent individuals are in the skills needed for these activities and how competency in these skills relates to physical activity and fitness. This study aimed to determine the initial predictive validity of the Lifelong Physical Activity Skills Battery related to physical activity and health-related fitness. One-hundred and nine adolescents from four schools (55 males, 54 females; Mage = 15.82 years, SD = 0.37 years) completed: demographic information (survey), height (stadiometer), weight (digital scale), motor skill assessment (jog, grapevine, squat, push-up, upward dog, warrior one, tennis forehand, golf swing), health-related fitness (standing long jump, back-saver sit and reach, 3-min submaximal step test, 90° push-up test), and physical activity (GENEActiv accelerometers). Correlations and multiple regression models were conducted in SPSS version 24.0. Motor competence was associated with muscular fitness (standing long jump, β = 0.24, p = .002; push-ups, β = 0.42, p < .001), cardiorespiratory fitness (β = 0.21, p = .031), and flexibility (β = 0.23, p = .025), but not physical activity (β = 0.17, p = .154) or body mass index (β = −0.05, p = .622). Motor competence has a stronger association with health-related fitness parameters rather than physical activity.


Author(s):  
Una Britton ◽  
Johann Issartel ◽  
Jennifer Symonds ◽  
Sarahjane Belton

Physical activity (PA) decreases with age. The school transition is noted for significant changes in PA behaviour. Motor competence (MC), health-related fitness (HRF), and perceived competence (PC) are generally positively associated with PA. The aim of this study was to examine longitudinal cross-lagged relationships between PA, MC, HRF, and PC across the school transition from final year of primary school to first year of second-level school in Irish youth. PA (accelerometery), object-control and locomotor MC (TGMD-III), PC (perceived athletic competence subscale of the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents), and HRF (20 m shuttle run, horizontal jump, vertical jump, push-ups, curl-ups) were measured in final year of primary school (6th class) and first year of second-level school (1st year). In the sixth class, 261 participants (53% female; mean age 12.22 ± 0.48 years) were tested. In first year, 291 participants (48% female; mean age: 13.20 ± 0.39 years) were tested. In total, 220 participants were involved in the study at both timepoints. Cross-lagged regression in AMOS23, using full information maximum likelihood estimation, was conducted to test reciprocal and predictive pathways between variables. The full cross-lagged model showed acceptable fit (χ2 = 69.12, df = 8, p < 0.01, NFI = 0.93, CFI = 0.94). HRF was the strongest predictor of future PA (β = 0.353), and also predicted PC (β = 0.336) and MC (β = 0.163). Object-control MC predicted future PA (β = 0.192). Reciprocal relationships existed between object-control MC and PA, and between object-control MC and PC. HRF was the strongest predictor of PA. Object-control MC also predicted PA. PA promotion strategies should target the development of HRF and object-control MC in primary school to reduce the decline in PA frequently observed after the school transition.


1994 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy J. Shephard ◽  
Claude Bouchard

Interrelationships between metabolic and cardiorespiratory health were examined in 350 healthy adults. Four principal components accounted for 66.7% of the variance in 172 males (M) and for 62.4% in 178 females (F). Factor 1, "obesity," related to body mass index, abdominal circumference, total skinfold thickness, and (M only) abdominal/hip circumference ratio. Factor 2, "cardiovascular fitness," had loadings from resting heart rate and PWC150/kg. Factors 3 and 4 were related to total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol, respectively (plus blood pressures, particularly in F). Factor 1 was linked to caffeine consumption and to exercise frequency (F) or perceived intensity (M). Factor 2 was linked to perceptions of activity relative to others (M and F) and to the intensity of activity (M only). Factors 3 and 4 were associated with perceived fitness and physical activity relative to others. Because perceptions of physical activity and fitness lack consistency, it is suggested that health be judged more directly from simple measures of health related fitness that require little subject cooperation. Key words: caffeine consumption, cardiorespiratory fitness, gender differences, health related fitness, metabolic fitness, perceived activity


Author(s):  
Timothy Brusseau ◽  
Ryan Burns

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of summer breaks on the body composition and cardiovascular fitness of elementary school children who participated in a multi-year school-based physical activity intervention. Participants were 404 children who had their height and weight measured and completed the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) during physical education classes at the beginning and end of the school year for three consecutive years. To examine the effects of time on health-related fitness data, general linear mixed effects models were employed. The results indicate that there was a trend toward an increase in body mass index (BMI) after the summer of 2015 (p = 0.958), and a significant increase in BMI after the summer of 2016 compared to time point 1 (p < 0.001). For PACER laps, there were trends toward decreases in PACER laps after the summers of 2015 (p = 0.515) and 2016 (p = 0.073). Summer breaks tended to attenuate the BMI and PACER lap improvements that were observed during the intervention. While school-based physical activity programming has had some successes in improving health-related fitness markers, the loss of these improvements over the summer is of concern to both practitioners and researchers. It is clear that additional efforts are needed to limit obesogenic behaviors during the summer months.


2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 359-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marit Eriksson ◽  
Tobias Nordqvist ◽  
Finn Rasmussen

Background:The aims of this study were to investigate parent–child physical activity (PA) associations and whether children’s self-esteem or athletic competence mediates such associations.Methods:The study population comprised 1124 12-year-old children and their parents. Parents’ PA was assessed using the Baecke questionnaire and a question about sport participation. Children’s PA was assessed by questions about participation in sport and vigorous activities. The children’s self-esteem and athletic competence were assessed by Harter’s Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents.Results:Parents’ PA was strongly associated with their children’s PA. With 2 active parents, the odds ratio for their children to participate in sport was 3.9 (95% CI = 2.2–6.9, girls) and 8.8 (95% CI = 4.3–18.0, boys) compared with having inactive parents. Athletic competence partly mediated these associations.Conclusions:The family is an important target for interventions to increase PA among children, and it might be important to consider ways to reinforce children’s athletic competence.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. e0179993 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Luz ◽  
Luís P. Rodrigues ◽  
An De Meester ◽  
Rita Cordovil

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