Motor Competence and Attainment of Global Physical Activity Guidelines among a Statewide Sample of Preschoolers.

Anthony Slaton,Alysse J Kowalski,Amy Zemanick,Ann Pulling Kuhn,Erin R Hager,Maureen M Black

doi:10.3390/ijerph17228546

Abstract

Global physical activity guidelines for preschoolers include 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) daily. This study, based on the developmental model of motor skill competence, examines how motor competence relates to preschoolers’ likelihood of meeting global guidelines using ankle accelerometry. We measured physical activity using 24-h ankle-placement accelerometry (Actical) for at least two consecutive days (87% with six-seven days), motor competence using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2), and BMI-for-age z-scores (BMIz) using anthropometry and age- and sex-specific CDC norms. Caregivers provided demographic characteristics of children’s age, sex, and race. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine how motor competence, BMIz weight status, and demographic characteristics related to meeting global physical activity guidelines. The sample included 588 preschoolers, age 3–5 years; 55% male; 60% white; and 28% overweight/obese; 75% attained the recommended 60 min of MVPA per day. The odds of meeting MVPA guidelines were associated with higher gross motor quotient, higher object control scores, sex (male), age (older), and race (white), but not with BMIz weight status. Findings support the use of 24-h ankle accelerometry among preschoolers and are consistent with the developmental model of motor competence applied to preschoolers, whereby object control competence relates positively to attaining global physical activity guidelines.

Highlights

Excess weight gain in preschool-age children (3–5 years of age) is generating widespread interest due to its association with obesity-related comorbidities later in life [1,2]
Based on prior literature involving young children, we considered age, sex, race, BMI-for-age z-scores (BMIz) weight status, object control, locomotor, and Gross Motor Quotient (GMQ) as a priori predictors of time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA)
Over half (54%) of preschoolers scored above average for their age on the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) while 8% performed below average

Summary

Introduction

Excess weight gain in preschool-age children (3–5 years of age) is generating widespread interest due to its association with obesity-related comorbidities later in life [1,2]. In the United States, 13.9% of children ages 2–5 have obesity [3]. Identifying the factors that underlie the current obesity epidemic is a public health priority. Limited physical activity is regarded as an early risk factor for obesity [4,5]. Obesity prevention efforts that target physical activity in young children have the potential to reduce children’s lifelong obesity risk. Adequate physical activity during early childhood reduces the risk of obesity and plays an important role in social development, cognition, Int. J. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 8546; doi:10.3390/ijerph17228546 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion