Abstract
Children with a low level of neuromotor fitness are less skilled to participate in sports activities. Moreover, lower levels of neuromotor fitness are related to adiposity, lower cardiovascular health, and poor self-esteem in children. The aim of this paper was to determine neuromotor fitness in 10–12-year-old Dutch children over a 10-year period. Test scores measured in 2015/2017 (N = 533 in 2015, N = 941 in 2017) were compared with scores of same-aged children measured in 2006 (N = 1986). Neuromotor fitness was assessed using the MOPER fitness test battery, including speed and agility, strength, flexibility, and coordination and upper-limb speed. Data were analyzed using multilevel linear regression models and tobit regression analyses in case of skewed distributions with an excess of zeros. Analyses were stratified by age and gender, and adjusted for level of urbanization. Children in 2015/2017 performed significantly worse on speed and agility (β = 0.8 to 1.1 s), significantly better on coordination/upper-limb speed (β = −1.0 to −0.6 s), and–except for 12-year-old girls–significantly worse on flexibility vs. children in 2006 (β = −3.4 to −1.8 cm). Additionally, upper-body strength was significantly worse among 10-year olds (β = −3.2 to −2.5 s) while leg strength was significantly worse among 11-year-olds in 2015/2017 vs. 2006 (β = −1.8 to −1.7 cm). Trunk strength was worse among 11- and 12-year old boys (β = 1.1 to 1.2 s). In line with a previously observed downward trend in neuromotor fitness among children (1980–2006), we found worse scores on speed and agility, and flexibility in 2015/2017 vs. 2006, stressing the need for interventions aimed at improving neuromotor fitness in order to promote physical activity and future health.
Highlights
Physical fitness is defined as “a set of attributes that people have or achieve”, which are health- and skill-related attributes that aid performing physical activity [1]
In 2015 and 2017, the Motor Performance (MOPER) test was conducted as part of a regular physical education class and all children attending the respective physical education class participated in the test
In 2006 the MOPER was conducted at the beginning of the school year (September), in 2015 and 2017 at the end of the school year (April-May)
Summary
Physical fitness is defined as “a set of attributes that people have or achieve”, which are health- and skill-related attributes that aid performing physical activity [1]. A systematic review showed a decline in aerobic fitness scores in 6– 19-year-old children from 27 countries between 1970 and 2003 [9]. Lower neuromotor fitness scores were observed on bent-arm hang, sit-and-reach, 10 × 5 meter run, leg-lift, and plate-tapping in a large sample of Dutch 9–12-yearolds in 2006 vs 1980 [10]. It is unknown how this trend developed since 2006, as no data on neuromotor fitness of Dutch children have been published since
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 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 callDisclaimer: 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.
