The Relationship between Fundamental Motor Skills and Outside-School Physical Activity of Elementary School Children

2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 426-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lennart Raudsepp ◽  
Peep Päll

The purpose of the present study was to examine the association between fundamental motor skill development and various types of outside-school physical activity. Outside-school physical activity of 133 elementary schoolchildren was measured using a modified observational method validated by O’Hara et al. (18) and Caltrac accelerometers (Hemokinetics, Madison, Wisconsin). Developmental level of overhand throwing and jumping was assessed using total-body developmental sequences. The results revealed that developmental levels of both overhand throwing and jumping were significantly correlated with the skill-specific physical activity (r = .44 and .55 for overhand throwing and jumping, respectively). Caltrac score was not significantly related to jumping and overhand throwing skills. Skill-specific physical activities accounted for 20% of the variance (adjusted R2) in overhand throwing and 17% of the variance in jumping performance. Findings supported the hypothesis that developmental level of fundamental motor skills would be related with skill-specific outside-school physical activity but not with general level of physical activity of elementary schoolchildren.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Kipling Webster ◽  
Chelsea L. Kracht ◽  
Robert L. Newton Jr ◽  
Robbie A. Beyl ◽  
Amanda E. Staiano

BACKGROUND Preschool age is an important time to master fundamental motor skills (FMS) through structured physical activity, yet many young children lag behind in motor skill development. OBJECTIVE The Promoting Lifelong Activity in Youth (PLAY) study is a pilot comparative effectiveness trial to test the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of a mobile app delivered to parents to promote FMS development in their preschool children (aged 3-5 years). METHODS We conducted a 2-arm, parallel-design, randomized comparative effectiveness trial in 72 parent-child dyads from the southeastern United States. Experts in motor development and developmental psychology developed an app designed to deliver a 12-week program to parents of preschoolers using 1 of 2 curricula: an FMS program (intervention) that involved peer modeling, parent engagement, and structured skills-based activities and an unstructured physical activity (comparator) curriculum that provided suggestions for child-led physical activity (ie, free play). Primary outcomes are feasibility and acceptability of the app and child’s FMS measured at end of intervention (week 12). Exploratory outcomes are child’s objective physical activity, perceived movement competence, and parent report of self-regulation at the end of treatment (week 12) and sustained outcomes at follow-up (week 24). RESULTS This project was funded in September 2018, with institutional review board approval in August 2018. Data collection took place from May 2019 through February 2020. To date, the project team has completed data collection on 69 preschool-age children, and results are expected to be published by 2021. CONCLUSIONS The PLAY study examines the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a mobile app, parent-led curricula to promote FMS proficiency for preschool children. If found to be effective, the app has the potential for wide-scale dissemination to parents of preschoolers and to provide a model for the utilization of mobile apps to promote young children’s motor skill development. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03901300; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03901300 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/19943


10.2196/19943 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. e19943
Author(s):  
E Kipling Webster ◽  
Chelsea L Kracht ◽  
Robert L Newton Jr ◽  
Robbie A Beyl ◽  
Amanda E Staiano

Background Preschool age is an important time to master fundamental motor skills (FMS) through structured physical activity, yet many young children lag behind in motor skill development. Objective The Promoting Lifelong Activity in Youth (PLAY) study is a pilot comparative effectiveness trial to test the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of a mobile app delivered to parents to promote FMS development in their preschool children (aged 3-5 years). Methods We conducted a 2-arm, parallel-design, randomized comparative effectiveness trial in 72 parent-child dyads from the southeastern United States. Experts in motor development and developmental psychology developed an app designed to deliver a 12-week program to parents of preschoolers using 1 of 2 curricula: an FMS program (intervention) that involved peer modeling, parent engagement, and structured skills-based activities and an unstructured physical activity (comparator) curriculum that provided suggestions for child-led physical activity (ie, free play). Primary outcomes are feasibility and acceptability of the app and child’s FMS measured at end of intervention (week 12). Exploratory outcomes are child’s objective physical activity, perceived movement competence, and parent report of self-regulation at the end of treatment (week 12) and sustained outcomes at follow-up (week 24). Results This project was funded in September 2018, with institutional review board approval in August 2018. Data collection took place from May 2019 through February 2020. To date, the project team has completed data collection on 69 preschool-age children, and results are expected to be published by 2021. Conclusions The PLAY study examines the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a mobile app, parent-led curricula to promote FMS proficiency for preschool children. If found to be effective, the app has the potential for wide-scale dissemination to parents of preschoolers and to provide a model for the utilization of mobile apps to promote young children’s motor skill development. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03901300; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03901300 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/19943


Author(s):  
Annie M. Constable ◽  
Josie E. Porter ◽  
Danielle Benger ◽  
Dimitris Vlachopoulos ◽  
Alan R. Barker ◽  
...  

Purpose: Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) positively influences bone mineral content (BMC) in prepubertal children, but it is unknown whether this relationship is partially mediated by free leptin index. The aim of this study was to examine whether the relationship between MVPA and total body less head (TBLH) BMC is mediated or moderated by free leptin index in prepubertal children. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis on 401 children (194 girls) from baseline examinations of the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Childhood Study. We applied the four-way decomposition mediation analysis method to assess whether free leptin index, measured from fasted blood samples, mediated the relationship between accelerometer-measured MVPA and TBLH BMC measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: MVPA had a positive controlled direct effect on TBLH BMC in girls and boys (β = 0.010 to 0.011, p < 0.05). There was no mediation or interaction between MVPA, free leptin index and TBLH BMC in girls or boys (β = −0.000 to 0.001, p > 0.05). Conclusion: Our study indicates that MVPA positively influences TBLH BMC through pathways not related to free leptin index in predominantly normal-weight prepubertal children, likely primarily through mechanical loading. The relationships between MVPA, free leptin index and TBLH BMC may be influenced by other factors such as pubertal status and adiposity, so it is unknown whether these observations extend to overweight and obese children at different stages of puberty.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 342-355
Author(s):  
Rodolfo N. Benda ◽  
Nádia F. S. Marinho ◽  
Marcelo G. Duarte ◽  
Patrick C. Ribeiro-Silva ◽  
Paloma R. Ortigas ◽  
...  

In this study, we review the relationship between motor development and motor learning, and present a new metaphor that represents the sequence of motor development, which highlights fundamental motor skills as an important phase in the process. As one of the most relevant phases of motor development, several studies that analyzed fundamental motor skills were reviewed in typical developing children as well as in children with disabilities. Most studies revealed motor performance levels below expected since proficiency was not observed. We discuss these results considering fundamental motor skills as essential for the motor development process. Such results raise the awareness of the need to offer children conditions to explore and experience motor activities in order to enhance motor competence.


2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Decio Rodrigues ◽  
Eric Leal Avigo ◽  
Jose Angelo Barela

BACKGROUND: One common observation is that Brazilian children are failing to achieve the expected proficiency, regarding the chronological age, in performing gross motor skills. PURPOSE: The aim was to verify the development of fundamental motor skills of 6- and 9-year-old children from a public school of São Paulo city. METHOD: Eight two children were selected from the first and fourth Elementary year, 40 children from the first grade (6.6 year-old, 20 boys and 20 girls) and 42 children from the fourth grade (9.2 year-old, 21 boys and 21 girls). Children were videotaped performing the Test of Gross Motor Development tasks, locomotor and object-control subtests. Three experimenters inspected the video images and rated the children’s performance following the suggested criteria. RESULTS: Nine-year-old children were advanced in fundamental motor skill performance compared to 6-year-old, but children from both age groups are delayed to the expected fundamental motor skill development. Moreover, the developmental delay is even worse as chronological age increases, with 6-year-old rated as poor whereas 9-year-old children are rated as very poor in fundamental motor skill development. CONCLUSION: These results raise several concerns regarding the importance of mastering the basic motor skills and future enrolment in motor activities.


Author(s):  
Ada Kristine Ofrim Nilsen ◽  
Sigmund Alfred Anderssen ◽  
Kjersti Johannessen ◽  
Katrine Nyvoll Aadland ◽  
Einar Ylvisaaker ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The direction of the longitudinal relationship between physical activity (PA) and fundamental motor skills (FMS) remains unclear. We evaluated the bi-directional, prospective relationships between intensity-specific physical activity (PA) and domain-specific fundamental motor skills (FMS) over 2 years in children attending preschool at baseline. Methods A sample of 230 children (mean age at baseline 4.7 yr, 52% boys) from the 'Sogn og Fjordane Preschool Physical Activity Study' was measured 2 years apart. PA was assessed using ActiGraph accelerometers (GT3X+). FMS were evaluated by a test battery guided by the 'Test of Gross Motor Development 3' and the 'Preschooler Gross Motor Quality Scale'. PA outcomes were total PA (TPA [counts per minute]) and intensity specific PA and sedentary behaviour (SED) (min/day). FMS outcomes were locomotor, object control, and balance skills. Linear mixed model adjusting for potential co-variates was used to evaluate the bi-directional prospective associations between these variables, including the moderating effect of sex and age. Results Baseline total PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), and vigorous PA predicted higher locomotor, object control, and balance skills at follow-up (standardized regression coefficient (β): 0.17 to 0.26, p = 0.002–0.017). Baseline SED predicted lower locomotor skills at follow-up (β: − 0.27, p = 0.012). Baseline light PA did not predict FMS at follow-up. Baseline FMS were not associated with PA or SED at follow-up. Conclusions MVPA was positively associated with development of FMS in young children. In contrast, FMS were not related to future PA levels. Our results suggest promotion of MVPA is important for FMS development in young children.


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