Socio-Cultural and Somatic Factors Associated with Children's Motor Competence.

Vitor P Lopes,Diogo Monteiro

doi:10.3390/jfmk6020054

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of somatic and socio-cultural factors on children’s motor competence (MC). MC was assessed through the standing long jump (SLJ), distance throw of a tennis ball (TTB), and 20 m dash (20 m) in 181 children (84 girls) with a mean age of 6.10(0.47) years. The effect of socio-economic status, house/living space, educational practices, the child’s interaction with peers and siblings, and the sum of five skinfolds (SS) were analysed via structural equation modelling (SEM) in each motor skill. The SEM models displayed a good fit to the data. In addition, standardized direct effects are significant on different outcome variables, except for brotherhood relationship (BR) and peer relationship in TTB, and 20 m dash and BR in standing long jump (SLJ). SS are negatively related to all motor skills.

Highlights

Associated with Children’s MotorMotor competence (MC), defined as a person’s proficiency to execute motor skills as well as the underlying mechanisms including motor coordination and control [1,2,3], is associated with health-related behaviours and attributes such as physical activity (PA)and body mass index (BMI) [4,5]
In the case of educational practices within the family (EP), children that can play in the neighbourhood, whose mother spent more time with them and those that prefer to play with active toys, achieved the best performance
The aim of the present study was to assess the relationships of socio-cultural and of body fat with motor competence (MC) in Portuguese children five to six years old in both sexes

Summary

Introduction

Associated with Children’s MotorMotor competence (MC), defined as a person’s proficiency to execute motor skills as well as the underlying mechanisms including motor coordination and control [1,2,3], is associated with health-related behaviours and attributes such as physical activity (PA)and body mass index (BMI) [4,5]. Motor competence (MC), defined as a person’s proficiency to execute motor skills as well as the underlying mechanisms including motor coordination and control [1,2,3], is associated with health-related behaviours and attributes such as physical activity (PA). Cross-sectional and longitudinal data both suggest that MC may be important for promoting many aspects of health-related behaviours [3]. Children (7 to 14 years old) with low levels of motor competence tend to have lower levels of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness [6]. Lower levels of MC are associated with sedentary behaviours in children 9 to 10 years of age [7]. Higher MC attenuates the decline in physical activity levels [4], and lower MC is associated with increased BMI [5]

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Conclusion