Motor Competence Levels and Developmental Delay in Early Childhood: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study Conducted in the USA

Brian, Ali; Pennell, Adam; Taunton, Sally; Starrett, Angela; Howard-Shaughnessy, Candice; Goodway, Jacqueline D.; Wadsworth, Danielle D.; Rudisill, Mary E.; Stodden, David F.

doi:10.1007/s40279-019-01150-5

Cited by 92 publications

(88 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…In the intervention group, the number of performed fundamental movement skills and estimated physical activity intensity on playgrounds increased. The observed gains are relevant because many young children spend a large part of their time in sedentary behavior and have low motor competence [20,21,26]. Results of the MAMBO cohort in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, emphasize the problem of low motor competence in urban settings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The problem of low motor skills in young children still seems to be urgent. In a recent cross-sectional study by Brian et al (2019) the developmental delay in motor competence in early childhood is described as "an emerging epidemic" [26]. The outdoor environments at childcare settings provide space and opportunities for challenging physical activities to stimulate fundamental movement skills, which are difficult to perform inside.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The Effects of the PLAYTOD Program on Children’s Physical Activity at Preschool Playgrounds in a Deprived Urban Area: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Toussaint

Streppel

Mul

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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Interventions to improve children’s physical activity in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings are needed. This randomized controlled trial examines the effects of a preschool-based playground program for ECEC teachers in a deprived urban area. On intervention preschools, the PLAYgrounds for TODdlers program (PLAYTOD) was performed. It focused on teacher’s knowledge and skills in order to create a challenging outdoor environment in which young children (2.5 to 4 years old) are able to practice their motor skills. Observations were performed before and after the program with a modified version of the SOPLAY protocol. The activating role of teachers (score from 0 = inactive to 4 = participating), the number of different physical activities, and the quality of children’s physical activity on playgrounds were observed. The latter included the number of performed fundamental movement skills and the estimated physical activity intensity (score from 0 = sedentary to 3 = vigorous). Descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses were used to evaluate the effects of PLAYTOD. After the program, the activating role of teachers on intervention playgrounds improved. Moreover, the program and consecutively the changes made by teachers had a positive effect on the number of different activities and the quality of children’s physical activity. The results emphasize an important role for ECEC teachers in improving physical activity in young children.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effects of the PLAYTOD Program on Children’s Physical Activity at Preschool Playgrounds in a Deprived Urban Area: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Toussaint

Streppel

Mul

et al. 2020

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Many of the studies included in this review utilized a cross sectional design, and thus, the strength of the relationship between motor skill competence and physical activity participation may be influenced by individual factors such as biological sex [11], age, and current level of physical activity [12]. However, a recent study examining motor competence across a large sample of children aged 3-6 years residing in the United States shows that approximately 77% of the sample examined were classified as delayed in FMS [13]. Thus, these children may be at an increased risk for lower levels of physical activity and potentially poorer health.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…African American and Hispanic children engage in less physical activity than non-Hispanic Caucasian children in the US [19]. Young females engage in less physical activity [20,21] and show further delays in FMS compared to males [13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…What is not clear throughout the literature is if interventions aimed at improving FMS would confer a greater advantage over interventions that are specifically aimed at increasing physical activity levels directly. Furthermore, although both FMS [13] and physical activity [26] interventions have shown different effects for biological sex, no effort has been made to determine which type of intervention would be most beneficial for girls who consistently demonstrate lower physical activity and ball skills compared to their male counterparts. Finally, it is not clear how interventions should be tailored to benefit all children regardless of age, sex, and current level of physical activity, all of which have been postulated to influence physical activity outcomes [26].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Intervention Strategies to Elicit MVPA in Preschoolers during Outdoor Play

Wadsworth

Johnson

Carroll

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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Approximately 50% of preschoolers do not meet physical activity recommendations and children who reside in low-income rural communities may be further at risk for higher levels of sedentary behavior. Outdoor play is essential for preschool children; however, literature is unclear as to which types of interventions elicit moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for all preschoolers. The aim of this study was to determine which type of intervention, physical activity or fundamental motor skill focus, elicits MVPA during outdoor play. Ninety-eight preschool children (M age = 4.48 years) from one Head Start center participated in an outdoor play intervention two days per week for 7 weeks. Classes were randomly assigned to one of four groups: fundamental motor skill focus (FMS), physical activity focus (PA), FMS and PA (FMS + PA), and control. An accelerometer worn on the hip measured MVPA. Results showed that age, sex and group assignment contributed to MVPA at the beginning of the intervention and age, sex, group assignment and MVPA during the beginning of the intervention contributed to MVPA at the end of the intervention. Overall, the FMS + PA group elicited MVPA from males and females of all ages. Interventions that combine both FMS and PA may reduce physical activity disparities in preschool children.

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Associations of obesity, movement behaviors, and socioeconomic status with fundamental movement skills in children: Results from the REACT project

Praxedes,

Maia,

Santos

et al. 2024

American J Hum Biol

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ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship of biological characteristics (age, sex, and obesity), movement behaviors (physical activity and sedentary time), and family socioeconomic status with fundamental movement skills (FMS) in primary school children.MethodsThis cross‐sectional study sampled 1014 children (537 girls) aged 6 to 10 years from 25 primary schools in Matosinhos, north of Portugal. Five object control skills (dribbling, kicking, catching, throwing, and underarm rolling) were assessed with a categorical scale using the Meu Educativo® platform. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated and transformed into z‐scores. Moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time were monitored with accelerometry (ActiGraph wGT3X‐BT) for seven consecutive days. Family socioeconomic status (SES) was obtained from the Portuguese social support system. Ordinal multilevel logistic regression was used to analyze the associations of weight status, MVPA, sedentary time and SES with FMS, adjusted for sex and age.ResultsBoys (odds ratio (OR) = 6.54; 95% CI: 5.13–8.36) and older children (OR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.85–2.26) were more likely to achieve higher FMS scores. Children with obesity (OR = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.45–0.80), those less active (OR = 0.56; 95% CI: 0.42–0.75) and children with more sedentary time (OR = 0.86; 95%CI: 0.77–0.97) were less likely to score high on FMS. Family SES was not significantly associated with FMS scores.ConclusionPrimary school children's FMS are significantly related to biological and behavioral factors but not to family SES. These findings highlight the need for suitable strategies to enhance children's FMS proficiency, considering differences in these characteristics. Fostering adequate motor skill proficiency levels will assist in establishing a robust foundation for healthy lifestyles of all children.

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Motor Competence Levels and Developmental Delay in Early Childhood: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study Conducted in the USA

Cited by 92 publications

References 59 publications

The Effects of the PLAYTOD Program on Children’s Physical Activity at Preschool Playgrounds in a Deprived Urban Area: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The Effects of the PLAYTOD Program on Children’s Physical Activity at Preschool Playgrounds in a Deprived Urban Area: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Intervention Strategies to Elicit MVPA in Preschoolers during Outdoor Play

Associations of obesity, movement behaviors, and socioeconomic status with fundamental movement skills in children: Results from the REACT project

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