Perceived And Actual Motor Competence And Physical Activity In Children With And Without Asthma

Abstract

Motor competence (MC) and perceived motor competence (PMC) are important determinants of physical activity participation and may contribute to the lower physical activity levels and fitness previously observed in children with asthma. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare MC, PMC, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels in children and adolescents with and without asthma, and to determine whether motor skills predict lower MVPA in children with asthma compared to their healthy peers. METHODS: Eleven children with persistent asthma (age=11.1±0.7 years; 54.5% female; BMI percentile=53.4±9.8) and 20 children without asthma (age=11.1±0.6 years; 50.0% female; BMI percentile=60.3±6.2) participating in the Exercises for a Healthy Asthma Lifestyle and Enjoyment (ExHALE) study have been analyzed to date. Asthma diagnosis was verified by the child’s physician. MC was measured using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2. PMC was measured using the Athletic Competence domain from the Self-Perceptions Profile for Children. MVPA was assessed via accelerometry. RESULTS: Children with asthma reported lower PMC than children without asthma (2.5±0.1 vs. 2.9±0.1, p=0.04) with no significant differences in MC between groups (7.0±0.9 vs. 7.6±0.5, p=0.55). Children with asthma engaged in 16 fewer minutes of MVPA per day compared to their healthy peers (27.7±5.5 vs. 44.1±22.3, p=0.06), however, in preliminary analyses, this difference was not statistically significant. MC and PMC were not significant predictors of MVPA (MC: β=0.95±1.70, PMC: β=-14.6 ±9.3; p>0.05), and there were no differences by asthma status (p’s>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Children with asthma reported lower self-perceptions of motor competence and engaged in fewer minutes of health-enhancing physical activity compared to their healthy peers. Motor skills, however, were not significant predictors of physical activity engagement. Additional research is needed to better understand the factors contributing to lower physical activity levels and fitness previously observed in children with asthma. As the ExHALE study proceeds, we will be able to reexamine these relationships further and examine asthma characteristics that may influence these relationships.