The effect of geographical regions (urban and rural areas) on movement competence of Egyptian schoolchildren from 6-7 years

Abstract

Movement competence is a critical component for a young child. It may be an important prerequisite for engagement in physical activity (PA) later in life. Objective: This study was carried out to determine whether movement competence of children differed according to their geographical regions? Methods: 35 children (19 boys, 16 girls) from urban (Cairo) region schools, and 25 children (13 boys, 12 girls) from rural (Al Minia) region schools were included in the study. Movement competence was evaluated using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) instrument (Ulrich, 2000). Results: A significant relationship was revealed between urban and rural Egyptian children aged 6-7 years in movement competence and Boys found to be better on movement competence when compared with girls in rural region while girls were better than boys in urban region. Conclusion: The movement competence of the Egyptian child is affected by the different geographical region in which he lives.