Abstract
Children’s motor competence (MC) has declined in the past decades, while sedentary behavior (SB) has increased. This study examined the association between MC and physical activity (PA) levels among primary schoolchildren. Demographics, body height and weight, MC (Athletic Skills Track), and PA levels (ActiGraph, GT3X+) were assessed among 595 children (291 boys, mean age = 9.1 years, SD = 1.1). MC was standardized into five categories: from very low to very high. PA levels were classified into SB, light PA (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Mixed-model analyses were conducted with PA levels as dependent variables and MC as the independent variable, while adjusting for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) z-score on the individual level. A negative association between MC and SB and a positive association between MC and MVPA were found. The strength of both associations increased as children expressed lower or higher levels of MC. MC is an important correlate of both SB and MVPA, particularly for children with very high or low MC. Developing and improving children’s MC may contribute to spending less time in SB and more time in MVPA, particularly for high-risk groups, i.e., children with low MC. Moreover, addressing MC development and PA promotion simultaneously might create positive feedback loops for both children’s MC and PA levels.
Highlights
Physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) are important health determinants
In line with other studies [22,26,27,28,49,50], which showed that older children are less active than younger children, we found significant differences in time spent in light PA (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) between grade-4 and grade-6 children
In contrast to studies by Da Costa et al and Keane et al [17,18], we found no significant relationship between body mass index (BMI) and SB and between BMI and MVPA
Summary
Physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) are important health determinants. Sufficient regular PA has positive effects on physical and psychological well-being [1], while excessive SB is associated with negative health outcomes [2,3]. PA and SB patterns in childhood lay the foundation for a healthy lifestyle in adulthood [4,5]. Inactive children and adolescents have a greater likelihood of becoming physically inactive adults than active children, emphasizing the importance of increasing PA and limiting SB among children. Children’s physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyles are still increasing worldwide [6]. Similar to children in other countries, 45% of the Dutch primary
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
