Low Motor Competence Research Articles

235 Diagnostic Qualities of the Short Form of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency for Low Motor Competence

Abstract Purpose The Bruninks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, 2nd Edition (BOT 2) diagnostic tool with 53 test tasks is used for objective assessment of motor proficiency with regard to the diagnosis of motor deficits in motor control. The normative criteria are initially validated on the US population ages 4 - 21. An adaptation for the European setting exists for German-speaking countries ages 4 - 14. There are short versions of the BOT 2 with self-selected items for screening purposes. The aim of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic quality of a German short version of BOT 2 for low motor competence and for the risk of developmental coordination disorder. Methods The motor competence level in n = 637 Czech children aged 6.0-11.0 years (46.6% girls) was evaluated using Total motor composite and subcategories of fine and gross motor skills: Fine manual control, Manual coordination, Body coordination and Strength and agility. We used the following variables to describe the diagnostic validity: Sensitivity, Specificity, Accuracy, Positive and Negative Predictive Values, the Receiver Operating Characteristic, and the Area Under the Curve. Results The short version of the BOT 2 shows a sensitivity for low motor competence of 77%, specificity of 86% and validity of 83%. For the risk of developmental coordination disorder, sensitivity is 77%, specificity is 94%, and validity is 93%. However, there is a lower positive predictive value of 49%. Conclusions The German short version of BOT 2 is an alternative test to the BOT 2 complete form, which is a suitable diagnostic tool for assessing low motor competence, including the diagnosis of risk for DCD. Overall, the BOT 2 short form provides a lower Total motor composite score than the BOT 2 complete form and places significantly more children in the well-below-average category. This is reflected in the low predictive value of a positive test. Funding Source This work was supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic under Grant TA ČR Éta 3 TL03000221.

Perceptions Matter! Active Physical Recreation Participation of Children with High and Low Actual and Perceived Physical Competence.

Emerging evidence suggests that the accuracy of a child's perceived physical competence (PPC) impacts participation in physical activity. We examined differences in active physical recreation (APR) participation based on clusters of high and low motor competence and perceptions from grades 3-5. Participants were a longitudinal sample (n = 155; 85 girls) of grade three, four, and five children. Fundamental motor skills (FMSs) were assessed using the TGMD-2, perceptions were assessed using the Self-Perception Profile for Children, and APR was measured using the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment. K-means cluster analysis was used to create four clusters per grade based on participants' FMSs and PPC z-scores. Differences in FMSs, PPC, and APR with cluster group as a factor were examined using a series of factorial ANOVAs. In each grade, participants in the high-high cluster participated in significantly more APR than those in the low-low cluster (p = 0.002 in grades three and four; p < 0.001 in grade five). Among the less accurate clusters (e.g., low FMSs with high PPC) was a trend toward positive FMSs growth among the children with higher perceptions. Results show that combinations of FMSs and PPC influence patterns of engagement or disengagement in active physical recreation persistently across middle childhood.

Acceptability and Feasibility of Portable Eye-Tracking Technology within a Children's Dynamic Sport Context: An Exploratory Study with Boys Who Play Grassroots Football.

Teaching practices are moving from decontextualised to more representative curricula. Although this is argued to be a positive step, low motor competence is a continual issue in primary-aged school children. One methodological approach to investigate ways to improve motor competence, eye tracking, is moving to more representative tasks. So far, eye-tracking research using static activities has demonstrated a positive association between motor competence and earlier fixation and longer duration. However, this research has been constrained to laboratory settings and tasks, or discrete activities (e.g., throw and catch). This study seeks to understand how to conduct more representative eye-tracking research in primary school-aged children. To this end, thirteen 10-11-year-old children were fitted with an eye-tracker during a typical football coaching session. Children were asked acceptability-based questions, and eye-gaze data were captured to illustrate what children attended to under a representative dynamic football-based activity. Based on the voices of children and captured eye-gaze data, six practical implications for research in this population are proposed: (1) conduct eye-tracking research indoors (where possible); (2) ensure long hair or fringes are secured so as not to obscure line of sight; (3) run the same activity to increase comparability across children wearing the eye-tracker; (4) use a properly fitted backpack (if a backpack is to be used); (5) assure children about the capability and hardiness of the eye-tracker, as they do not need to change the way they move; (6) explain there may be some discomfort with the nose clip, head strap, and battery weight and ensure that children wish to continue.

Motor Competence as a Protection Factor Against Pediatric Obesity: The Bidirectional Relationship Between Motor Competence and Weight Status

ABSTRACT Purpose: Motor competence is negatively associated with body mass index (BMI) in young people. However, it is still unclear whether motor competence is linked to the risk of obesity in adolescents and longitudinal evidence is missing. The main purpose of this study was to assess the association between motor competence and risk of obesity across adolescence. Methods: A 2-year follow-up study was conducted with a total of 122 adolescents (59.8% girls) aged 12 to 13 years at baseline. Motor competence (KTK), weight status (BMI) and physical activity (questionnaire) were assessed at three time points. Generalized estimating equation and logistic regression models were conducted to examine the relationships between motor competence and weight status, adjusting for potential confounders (i.e. age, sex and physical activity). Results: Motor competence and BMI were inversely related over time. The chance to have overweight/obesity decreased by 6.5% and 8% with a 10-point increase in motor competence across time. In addition, adolescents had 6.4 to 8.2 greater chance to have low motor competence with a 1-point increase in BMI across time. Conclusion: Motor competence is inversely associated with the risk of overweight/obesity across adolescence. Therefore, the development of motor competence can be a protection factor against excessive weight gain. As such, we recommend the development of motor competence as a strategy to prevent pediatric obesity through diversified types of physical activities such as sports, active play and physical education classes.

Actual and perceived motor competence in children with motor coordination difficulties: Effect of a movement-based intervention

BackgroundThe present study analyses the effect of a Movement-Based Intervention to improve Actual and Perceived Motor Competence in children with probable Developmental Coordination Disorder aged four and six years. Methods and proceduresA longitudinal pre-experimental study was designed with measurements conducted at pre-test, post-test and follow-up (after 5 months without intervention). The group, composed of children with probable Developmental Coordination Disorder or low motor competence, consisted of 57 participants, and the duration of a Movement-Based Intervention was 27 sessions allocated in nine weeks. Outcomes and resultsActual Motor Competence was evaluated with the Movement Assessment Battery for School children and Perceived Motor Competence with Pictorial Scale of Perceived Motor Skill Competence for Children. The results showed significant improvements in both study variables (Actual Motor Competence and Perceived Motor Competence), both at post-test and follow-up, five months after the end of the intervention.In conclusion, a Movement-based Intervention is effective in improving Actual and Perceived Motor Competence in the participants of this research, children with low motor competence or probable Developmental Coordination Disorder. What this paper addsConsidering the improvements observed after the program in Spanish sample, it seems that the usual practice in Early Childhood Education in our context may not be sufficient, i.e., it may not provide children with the necessary support (number of lesson and time) and appropriate learning contexts to promote the development of their motor skills. Considering the results, this study suggests that using an Movement-Based Intervention with an appropriate pedagogical approach, and offering different learning opportunities to children according to their needs, could positively influence their Actual and Perceived Motor Competence, and could motivate them towards future practice.

Associations between Motor Competence, Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour among Early School-Aged Children in the SELMA Cohort Study.

Low motor competence (MC) has been associated with lower physical activity (PA) and long-term health risks in children. Less is known about sex-specific patterns and associations during early school age. The aim of this study was to explore how motor difficulties are associated with PA levels, screen time, and organised sports participation (OSP). Data from 479 children, seven years of age, participating in the Swedish Environmental, Longitudinal, Mother and child, Asthma, and allergy (SELMA) pregnancy cohort study were used. MC and activity-related outcomes were assessed with questionnaires answered by parents. Associations between MC and outcomes were evaluated using logistic regression models adjusted for sex, overweight, and parental education level. Sex differences were investigated with interaction analyses and in stratified models. Children with motor difficulties had the same level of PA as their peers, but more screen time and lower OSP. Compared with children with normal MC, boys with motor difficulties had lower rates of OSP, but girls did not. This indicates that the identification and compensatory support for motor difficulties for boys at an early age, as well as the development of inclusive leisure time activities, are of importance to facilitate health-promoting activities on equal terms.

Associations between motor competence and the risk of obesity in Brazilian adolescents

Purpose: To assess whether motor competence is associated with the risk of obesity in adolescents. Methods: The sample consisted of 296 adolescents (56.1% girls) aged 12 to 15 years recruited from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Motor competence was assessed using the Körperkoordinationtest fur kinder (KTK). Body mass index (BMI) measures were used to classify the participants’ weight status. Physical activity was determined through a validated self-administered questionnaire. Multinomial and binary logistic regression models, adjusted for potential confounders (i.e. age, sex and physical activity), were executed to examine the association between motor competence and risk of obesity. Results: Almost half of participants (48%) presented low motor competence. Among adolescents with obesity, 92.9% showed low motor competence. In addition, low motor competence was associated with a higher risk to be overweight (OR: 2.940, p=.006) and obese (OR: 18.366, p&lt;.001), even after adjusting for potential confounders. Conversely, adolescents with adequate motor competence were less likely to be overweight (OR: .340, p = .006) and obese (OR: .054, p&lt;.001). Conclusion: Having low motor competence can be a risk factor for obesity, while adequate motor competence was a protective factor against this disease. Pediatric obesity is multifactorial, including environmental aspects, yet this study showed that motor competence seems to be important to maintaining a healthy weight status in youth. Keywords: motor development; weight status; overweight; physical activity; children.

DOES MOTOR PROFICIENCY INFLUENCE SLEEP, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MENTAL WELLBEING IN AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN?

INTRODUCTION Motor impairments such as poor timing, balance, sequencing, and dexterity often impact on the child’s quality of life, both physically and emotionally. Sleep and physical activity are modifiable behaviours that have a bi-directional association with mental health outcomes. However, there is very limited research on sleep in children with motor difficulties. The aim of this study is to examine if level of motor proficiency influences physical activity, sleep behaviour, and mental well-being. METHODS Children aged between 6 and 12 years attended one ∼90-minute testing session where they completed the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC; 2nd edition), the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD; 3rd edition), and a brief physical activity assessment. Questionnaire were completed by the children and parents (Adolescents Motor Competence Questionnaire (AMCQ), Short Moods and Feelings, Kids Screen, Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). RESULTS Currently, 15 children (9 males, mean age 9.2 ± 1.97 yrs) have completed the study. Preliminary results show a mean TGMD index of 104.93 ±1.97, suggesting motor skills performed to an average level. The MABC percentile rank was 56.93 ±27.05, one participant below 5th percentile (motor impairment). AMCQ mean 87.00±8.9, however four participants had perceived low motor competence. Interestingly mean sleep score suggests high sleep disturbance among the sample (CSHQ mean 42.33 ± 9.73) with 9 out of 15 participants identifying with a paediatric sleep disorder (three low motor competence and six high motor competence has a paediatric sleep disorder). CONCLUSION Results indicate some interesting findings with both high and low motor competence children demonstrating a sleep disorder. Further analysis looking at actigraph sleep data, sleep diary and physical activity collected over 7 days will be presented during the conference.

Validation and Psychometric Properties of the German Version of the Adolescent Motor Competence Questionnaire

Introduction/Background: In 2016, the Adolescent Motor Competence Questionnaire (AMCQ) was developed in Australia. The AMCQ was developed to assess perceived motor competence in adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 years. The 26 items represent four factors: participation in physical activity and sports, activities of daily living, public performance, and peer comparison. Aims/Objectives: Currently, no validated German-language self-report screening instrument exists for assessing perceived motor competence among adolescents. This study aimed to validate the German version of the AMCQ (AMCQ-GER). Methods/Approach: The German translation’s factor structure and psychometric properties were analyzed based on a community sample of 635 healthy children and adolescents between 10 and 18 years of age (12.9 ± 2.31 years, 321 boys and 312 girls) and 100 healthy young adults between 19 and 30 years of age (23.0 ± 2.92 years, 49 men and 51 women). The previously validated cutoff score of ≤83 out of 104 was used to group the sample into high and low motor competence. Results: The mean AMCQ-GER score was 84.9 (SD = 8.59), and 38.8% of the participants identified with low motor competence. The principle component analysis revealed clear evidence for a three-factorial structure comprising physical activity and sports, general clumsiness, and activities of daily living (with an explained variance of 29.2%). Reliability for all scales was excellent, with a McDonald’s ϖ of at least .70. The overall conclusion of the Rasch analysis supported the confirmatory factor analysis, although with an overall smaller number of items (18 instead of 26). The AMCQ-GER was positively correlated with age (.26**) and participation in organized club sports (.19**). It was negatively correlated with body mass index (−.23**) and school grade in physical activity (−.40**). Conclusions/Relevance: Our rigorous validation protocol has generated a remarkable reproduction of the AMCQ in German. These results suggest that the language and structure of the questionnaire is appropriate for German-speaking countries.

Low Motor Competence or Developmental Coordination Disorder? An Overview and Framework to Understand Motor Difficulties in Children

Low Motor Competence or Developmental Coordination Disorder? An Overview and Framework to Understand Motor Difficulties in Children

O.4.3-1 Girls with low motor competence may be particularly at risk of insufficient skeletal loading; latent profiles analysis of a four-year follow-up of Finnish adolescents

Abstract Purpose Adequate skeletal loads during the adolescent growth spurt are elemental in building a robust skeleton. Adolescents with poorer motor competence are less active and develop a less robust skeleton compared to their peers with better develop motor competence. However, few longitudinal examinations of motor competence and skeletal loading through adolescence have been reported. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to explore the association between motor competence and free-living bone-generating (osteogenic) skeletal load trajectories among adolescents. Methods A total of N = 562 5th graders (11 to 13 years-of-age) were initially included in the sample and were followed up annually for four years from 2017 to 2020 (N = 239 in 2020). The children were asked to wear a waist-worn accelerometer for 7 days and motor competence was assessed with 5-leap and side-to-side jumping tests once a year. Latent profiles were identified based on motor competence, and skeletal loading was estimated using an osteogenic index, which combines the number of loading peaks in particular intensity categories akin to counting steps but with accounting for the magnitude of the impact. Results Three motor competence groups arose from the data for both boys and girls and all groups exhibited persistent low, mid or high motor competence throughout the follow-up. The latent group with the low motor competence consistently exhibited the lowest skeletal loads (10 to 20% below the highest motor competence), and the highest motor competence group the highest with the mid-group in between. All latent groups declined in skeletal loads over the follow-up (from osteogenic index 420 SD[80] to 300[90]) with no difference in the steepness of the decline among boys. However, the lowest motor competence group among girls had a slightly steeper decline in skeletal loads than the other groups. Conclusions the finding that motor competence is associated with skeletal loading among adolescents was confirmed in this longitudinal study. Notably, girls with the lowest motor competence had the steepest decline in skeletal loading over the follow-up. Policies aiming to improve fundamental movement skills could be expected to improve skeletal development particularly among less motor competent girls.

Effectiveness of Nutrition and Play Activities in Enhancing Basic Motor Skills of Urban Children Over a 16-Week Period

This research was carried out on the basis of the low basic motor competence of urban children. It is estimated that there are many influencing factors including play activity methods and nutritional status. This study aims to determine the effect of play activity methods on nutritional status in urban children. This type of research is a quasi-experimental with a total sample of 40 people based on certain considerations. Basic movement skills are obtained by the TGMD-2 test which consists of object control and locomotor, then nutritional status data is obtained by measuring body mass index. Data were analyzed using a quantitative t test technique that describes comparative data. The results of the research and data analysis show that: 1) There are differences in the basic movement skills of students who have high and low nutritional status 2) There is an interaction between learning approaches and nutritional status. 3) There are differences in the basic movement skills of students who are given a playing approach that has a high nutritional status. 4) There are differences in the basic movement skills of students who are given a playing approach that has low nutritional status. The findings in this study show that children who have high nutrition enjoy playing activities more and are more physically active compared to children who have low nutrition in play activities. and play activity is an intermediary to see the movement skills of children Keywords: approach to play, nutritional status, basic movements of children, TGMD-2.

Co-Creation of a School-Based Motor Competence and Mental Health Intervention: Move Well, Feel Good.

Low motor competence (MC) and inhibited psychosocial development are associated with mental health difficulties. Improving children's MC through school-based physical activity interventions emphasising psychosocial development may therefore be a mechanism for promoting positive mental health. This study describes and provides reflective insights into the co-creation of 'Move Well Feel Good', a primary school physical activity intervention to improve children's MC and mental health. Class teachers, school leaders, physical activity specialists, and children (aged 8-9 years) participated in a series of co-creation workshops. Stakeholders' knowledge and experiences were integrated with existing research evidence using creative methods (e.g., post-it note tasks, worksheets, and drawings) to facilitate discussion. The co-creation process culminated in stakeholder consensus voting for one of three proposed intervention ideas. Children cited physical and mental health benefits, enjoyment with friends, and high perceived competence as motives for being physically active. Opportunities to develop MC across the different segments of the school day were identified by adult stakeholders, who perceived children's lack of resilience, an overloaded curriculum, and poor parental support for physical activity as barriers to intervention implementation. The chosen intervention idea received six out of a possible twelve votes. Co-creation projects are specific to the contexts in which they are implemented. This study reinforces the complex nature of school-based intervention development and highlights the value of engaging with stakeholders in co-creation processes.

An exploratory analysis examining differences in physical activity and motor competence in children with and without asthma: brief report

ABSTRACT: Objective: The purpose of this pilot study was to examine potential differences in motor competence (MC) and physical activity (PA) between children with and without asthma. Methods: Thirty-seven children and adolescents completed the Exercise for a Healthy Asthma Lifestyle and Enjoyment study (46% with asthma, 51% female, 11.1 ± 0.4 y, and 46% White). Motor competence was assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2nd edition (MABC-2). PA was assessed using accelerometry. Results: Children with asthma had significantly lower MC in the domain of aiming and catching (with asthma: 8.2 ± 0.4 vs. without asthma: 9.9 ± 0.5; p = 0.03) and fewer daily minutes spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) (with asthma: 18.0 ± 2.3 min vs. without asthma: 27.2 ± 3.6 min; p = 0.047). There were no significant group differences in manual dexterity, balance, total MABC-2 score, or total daily PA (all ps > 0.05). Conclusion: This study provides confirmatory evidence that children with asthma display lower MC and spend less time in MVPA compared to children without asthma. Because MC is a prerequisite for engaging in PA, future research should seek to determine if the differences observed in MC contribute to disparities in MVPA observed in this clinical population.

Impact of Motor Competence Profiles on Adolescents' Physical Activity and Cardiorespiratory Fitness across Four Years.

Physical activity levels have decreased over past decades with most adolescents neither meeting the current physical activity recommendations nor demonstrating adequate cardiorespiratory fitness. Motor competence (MC) is foundational for a physically active lifestyle; however, children demonstrate significant differences in their levels of MC in a broad foundation of movement skills. This study investigated developmental patterns of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in children across 4 years based on their longitudinal MC profiles. The data included annual measurements of MC, accelerometry-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and cardiorespiratory fitness over 4 years from the age 11 to 15 (n = 1147, girls 582, boys 565). Latent profile analysis was used to identify longitudinal MC profiles and latent growth curve modeling to examine intercepts and slopes (s) of MVPA and cardiorespiratory fitness in these MC profiles. Three different longitudinal MC profiles were identified: low, moderate, and high. The MC profiles showed significant differences in intercepts of cardiorespiratory fitness and MVPA. The high MC profile showed the highest intercepts for both, but also a statistically significant decline in MVPA over time (s = -3.36, p < .001). Cardiorespiratory fitness increased similarly in all three profiles over time: low (s = 1.20, p < .01), moderate (s = 1.28, p < .001), high (s = 2.21, p < .001). These results highlight the long-term associations between different MC profiles and development of MVPA and cardiorespiratory fitness. Adolescents with lower MC demonstrated lower levels of MVPA and cardiorespiratory fitness, indicating decreased participation in physical activities that can optimally enhance cardiorespiratory fitness. However, significant differences in MVPA levels between MC profiles faded over time in adolescence, whereas significant differences in cardiorespiratory fitness remained.

Growth and motor development for the teaching of physical education at school: An analysis in the early years of elementary education

The activities necessary for motor stimulation are developed at school through the execution of movements worked on in class in order to stimulate students in the development of motor skills. Thus, this research aims to analyze the level of motor development of students in the early years of elementary school using the TGMD-2 test as an instrument for assessing motor performance. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that large parts of the sample of evaluated students obtained an unsatisfactory level in fundamental motor skills, in which it can be observed that there is a large number of students who do not have adequate motor development for their age. These results are directly related to the current situation of children in Brazil regarding low motor competence.

Association between motor competence, and the rating of perceived exertion in male young adults

The purpose of this study was two-fold: (i) to analyze the relationship between motor competence (i.e., a person’s ability to be proficient in different gross motor skills) and the rating of perceived exertion (RPE), which represents the physiological and psychological responses during training, in young adults, and (ii) to compare RPE between participants with high and low motor competence. Forty-eight male young adults (22.01 ± 2.43 years) participated in this study. Participants were randomly divided into several teams of three players to perform a small-sided game for 25 min (Goalkeeper+ 2 × 2 + Goalkeeper) in which the RPE was collected. Then, motor competence was assessed through six tests assessing three main components: stability (Jumping Sideways and Shifting Platforms); locomotor (Standing Long Jump and Shuttle Run), and manipulative (Velocity of Ball Kicking and Throwing). Motor competence was negatively associated with RPE (r = −0.64; p &lt; 0.001). Moreover, locomotor, stability, and manipulative components were negatively associated with RPE (all, p &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, upon comparing groups with low and high levels of motor competence, we observed significantly higher RPE values (p &lt; 0.001; d = 0.32) in the low motor competence group. The findings from this study suggest that individuals with higher levels of motor competence may report a lower RPE during exercise. This information is valuable for coaches as improving levels of motor competence may potentially lead to increases in on-field performance.

Potential relevance of a motor skill “proficiency barrier” on health-related fitness in youth

ABSTRACT This study investigated the potential impact of a motor skill proficiency barrier on measures of cardiorespiratory (CRF) and musculoskeletal (MSF) fitness in youth. A sample of 241 youth (114 girls) aged 10 - 18 years, completed the Motor Competence Assessment battery with composite scores indexed according to age- and gender-adjusted percentile scores. Motor competence (MC) levels were categorized as low (≤ 25%tile – proficiency barrier), moderate (≥ 26%tile to < 75%tile), and high (≥ 75%tile). CRF levels (Health Risk, Needs Improvement, and Healthy) were assessed using the Fitnessgram® 20 m PACER test. Low (≤ 20%tile), moderate (≥ 21%tile to ≤ 80%tile), and high (≥ 80%tile) MSF levels were assessed using grip strength normative data. Two 3 × 3 chi-square tests were conducted to determine the probability of MC level predicting CRF and MSF levels. Results demonstrated statistically significant models for performance on both the PACER (χ2[4, N = 241] = 22.65, p < .001) and grip strength (χ2[4, N = 241] = 23.95, p < .001). Strong evidence of a proficiency barrier impacting CRF was noted, as no low skilled youth met the “Healthy” fitness zone standards for PACER performance. Evidence supporting a barrier with grip strength was not as strong, as 20.8% of youth exhibiting low MC displayed high grip strength. However, all individuals with high levels of MC demonstrated at least moderate grip strength. Results emphasize the importance of developing MC during childhood as it may provide a protective effect against unhealthy CRF and MSF across youth. Highlights These data support the notion of Seefeldt’s (1980) proficiency barrier as it relates to CRF, as no youth demonstrating low MC met the healthy fitness zone criteria for PACER performance. The development of MC may both directly and indirectly provide a protective effect against unhealthy CRF levels across childhood and adolescence. Evidence supporting a proficiency barrier with MSF as measured by grip strength was not as strong; however, all individuals with high levels of MC demonstrated at least moderate grip strength. Thus, the development of MC may be a protective factor to mitigate low levels of MSF via enhanced neuromuscular function. Promoting the development of MC in a variety of developmentally appropriate activities and settings (e.g. MC skills practice, structured and unstructured play, and performance contexts) is important to promote positive trajectories of CRF and MSF across childhood and adolescence.

Applying an ecosystem approach to explore modifiable factors related to the risk for low motor competence in young children

Early childhood is a crucial phase for motor development in which differences between children can manifest. These differences might be related to factors in ecosystems in which children are raised, of which little is currently known. The current study's purpose was to explore which modifiable factors in children's ecosystems are associated with the odds for low versus higher motor competence (MC) in 4- to 6-year-old children. A cross-sectional study design was conducted to investigate which modifiable social and physical factors in the home environment and direct living environment were associated with differences in MC. Children's MC was measured through the Athletic Skills Track in 612 4- to 6-year-olds, from 10 primary schools in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Parenting practices, characteristics of the home environment, and perceptions of the direct living environment were assessed through parental questionnaires. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate factors associated with low MC in children. The presence of a garden at home and higher perceived sports facilities in the direct living environment decreased the likelihood of children being classified as low MC. Moreover, stronger parental active transportation routines and more discouraging physical activity parenting practices resulted in lower odds of low MC. In addition, girls were more at risk for low MC. Characteristics of the social and physical home environment and direct living environment were associated with MC disparities during early childhood. Both parenting practices and parental physical activity-involved behaviours are relevant modifiable factors related to differences in children's MC.

Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Motor Competence in Children Aged 7-10 Years: A Cross-sectional Study

Background and Objectives Motor competence (MC) in fundamental motor skills (FMS) is needed for children to participate in physical activities. This study aims to investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and MC in children aged 7-10 years. Subjects and Methods This is a correlational study with a cross-sectional design. Participants were 828 children aged 7-10 years in Ahvaz, Iran who were selected by cluster random sampling method. The test of gross motor development-3, a digital scale, and a stadimeter were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation test, and two-way analysis of variance were used in data analysis. Results The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children was high. There was a significant negative relationship between BMI and MC in locomotor skills and in total FMS (P&lt;0.05), but no significant relationship was observed between BMI and MC in ball skills (P&gt;0.05). The effect of age was significant on the MC in both locomotor and ball skills and in total FMS (P&lt;0.05). The effect of gender was not significant on the MC in locomotor skills (P&gt;0.05), but was significant on the MC in ball skills and in total FMS (P&lt;0.05). Conclusion Children’s BMI is associated with their low MC in FMS. The increase of MC in FMS with the increase of age confirms the developmental nature of FMS. Due to the lower MC of girls in ball skills, they are at higher risk of delayed motor development. It is recommended to improve their delayed motor development and MC in ball skills by developing appropriate interventions.