Rafael dos Santos Henrique

Motor competence and health related physical fitness in youth: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to review the scientific evidence on associations between motor competence (MC) and components of health related physical fitness (HRPF), in children and adolescents. DESIGN Systematic review. METHODS Systematic search of Academic Search Premier, ERIC, PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus, SportDiscus, and Web of Science databases was undertaken between October 2012 and December 2013. Studies examining associations between MC and HRPF components (body weight status, cardiorespiratory fitness, musculoskeletal fitness and flexibility) in healthy children and adolescents, published between 1990 and 2013, were included. Risk of bias within studies was assessed using CONSORT and STROBE guidelines. The origin, design, sample, measure of MC, measure of the HRPF, main results and statistics of the studies were analyzed and a narrative synthesis was conducted. RESULTS Forty-four studies matched all criteria; 16 were classified as low risk of bias and 28 as medium risk. There is strong scientific evidence supporting an inverse association between MC and body weight status (27 out of 33 studies) and a positive association between MC and cardiorespiratory fitness (12 out of 12 studies) and musculoskeletal fitness (7 out of 11 studies). The relationship between MC and flexibility was uncertain. CONCLUSIONS Considering the noted associations between various assessments of MC and with multiple aspects of HRPF, the development of MC in childhood may both directly and indirectly augment HRPF and may serve to enhance the development of long-term health outcomes in children and adolescents.

Precisão de conhecimento de resultados na aprendizagem motora em crianças e adultos

O nivel de precisao do conhecimento de resultados (CR) e uma variavel que interfere na aprendizagem de habilidades motoras, mas esse efeito parece ser diferente para adultos e criancas. Este estudo verificou o efeito da precisao do CR em criancas e adultos durante a aprendizagem de uma tarefa manipulativa com meta de precisao. Quarenta universitarios (mulheres = 21.13 ± 2.26 anos; homens = 20.97 ± 2.17 anos) e quarenta criancas (meninas = 9.10 ± .83 anos; meninos = 9.70 ± .48 anos) praticaram uma tarefa de acertar um alvo disposto sobre uma mesa, mediante lancamento de discos metalicos. Foram formados seis grupos experimentais e dois grupos controle (sem CR), cada um com 10 sujeitos. Os grupos experimentais diferiram de acordo com a precisao do CR (CR pouco preciso, CR preciso e CR muito preciso) e o nivel de desenvolvimento (criancas e adultos). A medida de desempenho foi o erro absoluto (EA). Foram utilizadas analises de variância three-way (grupos × idades × blocos) e two-way (grupos × blocos) para as fases de estabilizacao e adaptacao. O conjunto dos resultados permitiu concluir que, nesta tarefa, adultos apresentaram melhor desempenho do que criancas em regimes de baixa e intermediaria precisao; em regimes de alta precisao de CR, adultos e criancas mostraram desempenhos semelhantes.

Tracking of gross motor coordination in Portuguese children

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the tracking of gross motor coordination (GMC) and to profile children at 6 years of age who consistently showed higher stability patterns in different levels of GMC. The participants were 245 children (123 boys and 122 girls) who were assessed longitudinally from 6 to 9 years of age. GMC was assessed using the Korperkoordinationtest fur Kinder (KTK) test battery. Anthropometry, physical activity, and health- and performance-related physical fitness were also measured. Cohen’s kappa (κ) was used to estimate tracking. Tracking was poor for all GMC tests (0.17 ≤ κ ≤ 0.38) and moderate for the GMC motor quotient (MQ) in both boys and girls (0.44 ≤ κ ≤ 0.45). Instability at the extremes was low in GMC tests and negligible for MQ. Children who consistently showed high GMC levels during the 4 years of follow-up were lighter, had lower body mass index and subcutaneous fat, and showed higher scores in physical fitness tests at 6 years of age than those who consistently had low GMC levels. In conclusion, GMC showed low-to-moderate tracking over time in childhood. However, children who consistently demonstrated high GMC levels over time had healthier profiles at 6 years of age.

Association between sports participation, motor competence and weight status: A longitudinal study

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate if baseline motor competence, weight status and sports participation in early childhood predict sports participation two years later. DESIGN longitudinal study. METHODS In 2010, motor competence (object control and locomotor skills), weight status and sports participation were assessed in 292 children between three and five years-of-age. In 2012, sports participation was re-evaluated in 206 of the original 292 children. Logistic regression was implemented to examine if initial sports participation, motor competence and weight status would predict sports participation two years later. RESULTS In the final model, sports participation in 2010 (OR=9.68, CI: 3.46 to 27.13) and locomotor skills (OR=1.21, CI: 1.01 to 1.46) significantly predicted sports participation after two years. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that initial sports participation and more advanced locomotor skills in preschool years may be important to promote continued participation in sports across childhood.

Participation in sports practice and motor competence in preschoolers

Abstract —Recent theoretical model suggests that motor competence during early childhood is related to one’s current and future health status and that practicing sports seems to be playing a special role in creating such competence. This study aimed to compare performance in gross motor skills among preschoolers participating in regular sports practice (SP) and those not participating (NSP), including comparisons by gender. The study uses secondary data from a popu-lation-based study of performance regarding the locomotor and object control skills of preschoolers (3 to 5 years old). Preschoolers were assigned to groups SP or NSP, paired by age and sex according to skills: locomotor ( n = 54; 30 boys) or object control ( n = 37; 17 boys). Analysis of variance showed that the SP group outperformed the NSP one, and there were gender differences only within SP group. Starting to practice sports during early childhood helps to build motor competence and benefits both genders.Keywords: psychomotor performance, children, sports, physical activity

Comparison of motor competence levels on two assessments across childhood.

ABSTRACT This study compared performances and motor delay classifications for the Test of Gross Motor Development-2nd edition (TGMD-2) and the Körperkoordinationstest Für Kinder (KTK) in a sample of 424 healthy children (47% girls) between 5 and 10 years of age. Low-to-moderate correlations (r range = 0.34–0.52) were found between assessments across age. In general, both boys and girls demonstrated higher raw scores across age groups. However, percentile scores indicated younger children outperformed older children, denoting a normative percentile-based decrease in motor competence (MC) in the older age groups. In total, the TGMD-2 and KTK classified 39.4% and 18.4% children, respectively, as demonstrating very low MC (percentile ≤5). In conclusion, the TGMD-2 classified significantly more children with motor delays than the KTK and the differences between children’s motor skill classification levels by these assessments became greater as the age groups increased. Therefore, the TGMD-2 may demonstrate more susceptibility to sociocultural influences and be more influenced by cumulative motor experiences throughout childhood. Low-to-moderate correlations between assessments also suggest the TGMD-2 and KTK may measure different aspects of MC. As such, it may be important to use multiple assessments to comprehensively assess motor competence.

Physical characteristics that predict involvement with the ball in recreational youth soccer.

ABSTRACT This study examined the relative contribution of age, stage of puberty, anthropometric characteristics, health-related fitness, soccer-specific tests and match-related technical performance to variance in involvements with the ball during recreational 5-a-side small-sided (32 × 15 m) soccer matches. Using a cross-sectional design, 80 healthy male students (14.6 ± 0.5 years of age; range 13.6–15.4) who played soccer recreationally were randomly divided into 10 teams and played against each other. Measurements included height, body mass, pubertal status, health-related fitness (12-min walk/run test, standing long jump, 15-m sprint and sit-ups in 30 s), soccer-specific tests (kicking for speed, passing for accuracy and agility run with and without a ball), match-related technical performance (kicks, passes and dribbles) and involvements with the ball during matches. Forward multiple regression analysis revealed that cardiorespiratory fitness (12-min walk/run test) accounted for 36% of the variance in involvements with the ball. When agility with the ball (zigzag running) and power (standing long jump) were included among the predictors, the total explained variance increased to 62%. In conclusion, recreational adolescent players, regardless of their soccer-specific skills, may increase participation in soccer matches most through physical activities that promote improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle power and agility.

Precisão do conhecimento de resultados no processo adaptativo em crianças

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar os efeitos da precisao de Conhecimento de Resultados (CR) na aquisicao de uma habilidade motora. Quarenta e oito criancas com idade entre oito e 10 anos (♂ = 9,33 ± 0,70 anos e ♀= 9,16 ± 0,81 anos) praticaram uma tarefa de acertar um alvo sobre uma mesa, mediante o lancamento de discos metalicos. Foram formados tres grupos experimentais de acordo com o nivel de precisao do CR: pouco preciso (GPP), preciso (GP) e muito preciso (GMP), alem do grupo controle (GC), sem CR. A medida de desempenho foi o erro absoluto (EA). Os resultados indicaram diferenca estatistica a favor do GMP em comparacao aos demais grupos, indicando que a maior precisao do CR favoreceu a estabilizacao da estrutura e a adaptabilidade do sistema, numa tarefa com meta de precisao espacial, em criancas.

Association between body mass index and individual characteristics and the school context: a multilevel study with Portuguese children

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine the association between individual and school context characteristics with the body mass index of Portuguese children. METHODS The sample comprised 1641 children (847 boys) aged 6-10 years from the North and Central regions of Portugal. Regarding the individual characteristics, age, gender, city of residence, levels of physical activity, and physical fitness were assessed. Concerning the school context characteristics, the surrounding environment, school size, presence of recreational characteristics and space, and presence of a sports court and of physical education classes were considered. Childrens body mass index was the dependent variable. The multilevel analysis was carried out in HLM 7.0 software. RESULTS The predictors of the child and the school context explained, respectively, 97.3% and 2.7% of the total body mass index variance. Regarding the individual characteristics, older children, boys, and those who had lower performance at the 1-mile run/walk, curl-up, push-up, and higher performance in trunk lift tests showed higher BMI. Further, urban schools with higher recreational spaces were positively associated with childrens body mass index. CONCLUSION School context variables have a reduced effect on body mass index variation compared to the childrens biological and behavioral characteristics. The authors therefore encourage strategies that aim to increasing childrens physical fitness levels to help prevent excess weight.Objective The aim of this study was to examine the association between individual and school context characteristics with the body mass index of Portuguese children.

La participación en la práctica del deporte y la competencia motriz en niños en edad preescolar

Abstract —Recent theoretical model suggests that motor competence during early childhood is related to one’s current and future health status and that practicing sports seems to be playing a special role in creating such competence. This study aimed to compare performance in gross motor skills among preschoolers participating in regular sports practice (SP) and those not participating (NSP), including comparisons by gender. The study uses secondary data from a popu-lation-based study of performance regarding the locomotor and object control skills of preschoolers (3 to 5 years old). Preschoolers were assigned to groups SP or NSP, paired by age and sex according to skills: locomotor ( n = 54; 30 boys) or object control ( n = 37; 17 boys). Analysis of variance showed that the SP group outperformed the NSP one, and there were gender differences only within SP group. Starting to practice sports during early childhood helps to build motor competence and benefits both genders.Keywords: psychomotor performance, children, sports, physical activity