Till Utesch

The development of the physical fitness construct across childhood

The measurement of physical fitness (PF) is an important factor from many different perspectives. PF is a determinant of healthy child development as it is related to several health outcomes. However, existing taxonomies of the construct and frequently used fitness assessments vary concerning their theoretical assumptions and practical implications. From a theoretical perspective, the construct of physical fitness covers a variety of motor domains, such as cardiovascular endurance, strength, coordination, or flexibility (eg, Caspersen et al., 1985). However, most fitness assessments provide a single (composite) score including all items as test outcome. This implicitly relates to a one‐dimensional structure of physical fitness, which has been shown for other motor performance assessments in early childhood (eg, Utesch et al., 2016). This study investigated this one‐dimensional structure for 6‐ to 9‐year‐old children within the item response theory framework (Partial Credit Model). Seven fitness subtests covering a variety of motor dimensions (6‐minute run, pushups, sit‐ups, standing broad jump, 20 m sprint, jumping sideways, and balancing backwards) were conducted to a total of 790 six‐year‐olds, 1371 seven‐year‐olds, 1331 eight‐year‐olds, and 925 nine‐year‐olds (48.2% females). Each item was transformed into five performance categories controlling for sex and age. This study indicates that a one‐dimensional testing of PF is feasible across middle childhood. Furthermore, for 6‐ and 7‐year‐olds, all seven items including balancing backwards can be accumulated to one factor. From the age of about 8 and 9 years balancing backwards seems to become too easy. Altogether, analyses show no diversification of PF across childhood.

Integrierte Gesamtansätze kommunaler Gesundheitsförderung für Kinder

ZusammenfassungHintergrundIntegrierte Gesamtansätze kommunaler Gesundheitsförderung für Kinder werden in Nordrhein-Westfalen systematisch gefördert. Ziel ist eine lebenslauforientierte kommunale Gesundheitsförderung und Prävention von der Schwangerschaft bis zum Berufseintritt. Bislang fehlt es jedoch an Erkenntnissen zu Reichweite und möglichen Wirkungen des Ansatzes.FragestellungIm Mittelpunkt steht die Analyse der integrierten Gesamtansätze in den Modellkommunen Moers und Oberhausen mit Fokus auf die Settings Kita, Grundschule und Stadtquartier. Untersucht werden insbesondere der Implementierungsprozess, die Wahrnehmung und Inanspruchnahme gesundheitsfördernder Maßnahmen durch vulnerable Familien sowie die Zusammenhänge zwischen Inanspruchnahme und Kindergesundheit.Methoden und MaterialDer vom Bundesministerium für Forschung und Bildung geförderte Forschungsverbund „Gesund Aufwachsen“ hat ein gemeinsames Untersuchungsdesign entwickelt, das die verschiedenen Dimensionen von Kindergesundheit (i. e. körperlich, seelisch, sozial und verhaltensbezogen) sowie zentrale Einflussfaktoren (Stadtquartier, Kita/Schule, Familie) integriert. Es handelt sich um einen hybriden Forschungsansatz, der ein nicht-randomisiertes, cluster-kontrolliertes Studiendesign mit qualitativen Untersuchungen und partizipativer Qualitätsentwicklung verbindet.ErgebnisseDas integrative Vorgehen ermöglicht es, komplexe Hypothesen zur gesunden Entwicklung von Kindern zu überprüfen und Zusammenhänge zwischen verschiedenen Gesundheitsdimensionen, kindlichen Entwicklungssettings und Maßnahmen der Gesundheitsförderung zu analysieren.SchlussfolgerungDer Forschungsverbund „Gesund Aufwachsen“ trägt dazu bei, die bedarfsorientierte Gestaltung von kommunalen und settingübergreifenden Interventionen der Gesundheitsförderung und Primärprävention für Kinder konzeptionell und methodisch weiterzuentwickeln.AbstractBackgroundIntegrated and comprehensive community-based health promotion approaches aimed at children are systematically supported in North Rhine-Westphalia. The goal is a community-based approach that focuses on health promotion from the prenatal phase to career entry. Findings regarding the effects on health and the scope of this approach are lacking so far.ObjectivesThe main focus is on the analysis of community-based health promotion approaches in the pilot communities of Moers and Oberhausen with special attention given to the daycare center, primary school, and urban neighborhood settings. The implementation process, awareness, and utilization of health promotion measures by vulnerable families, and the links between utilization and child health will be investigated specifically.Methods and MaterialsThe research consortium “Growing up healthy” funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research has developed a joint study design that integrates different dimensions of child health (i.e., physical, mental, social, and behavioral) and key factors (urban neighborhood, daycare center/school, family). It is a hybrid research approach combining a nonrandomized cluster-controlled study design with qualitative investigations and participatory quality development.ResultsThe integrative study approach enables the examination of complex hypotheses regarding healthy child development and the links between different health dimensions, health promotion measures, and settings.ConclusionThe research consortium “Growing up healthy” contributes to the continued development and design of needs-based and comprehensive local interventions for children’s health promotion and primary prevention.

Understanding physical (in-) activity, overweight, and obesity in childhood: Effects of congruence between physical self-concept and motor competence

Both the physical self-concept and actual motor competence are important for healthy future physical activity levels and consequently decrease overweight and obesity in childhood. However, children scoring high on motor competence do not necessarily report high levels of physical self-concept and vice versa, resulting in respective (in-) accuracy also referred to as (non-) veridicality. This study examines whether children’s accuracy of physical self-concept is a meaningful predictive factor for their future physical activity. Motor competence, physical self-concept and physical activity were assessed in 3rd grade and one year later in 4th grade. Children’s weight status was categorized based on WHO recommendations. Polynomial regression with Response surface analyses were conducted with a quasi-DIF approach examining moderating weight status effects. Analyses revealed that children with higher motor competence levels and higher self-perceptions show greater physical activity. Importantly, children who perceive their motor competence more accurately (compared to less) show more future physical activity. This effect is strong for underweight and overweight/obese children, but weak for normal weight children. This study indicates that an accurate self-perception of motor competence fosters future physical activity beyond single main effects, respectively. Hence, the promotion of actual motor competence should be linked with the respective development of accurate self-knowledge.

Dynamics between motor competence, cardiorespiratory fitness and weight status in children: a cross-lagged longitudinal analysis

Motor competence plays a crucial role in children’s overall health. In their conceptual model, Stodden et al. (2008) stipulated that the relationship between motor competence and other health-related factors such as physical fitness (which includes cardiorespiratory fitness, musculoskeletal fitness, and flexibility) changes over time. Although recent literature has supported some of the relationships proposed by Stodden and colleagues (2008), there is limited evidence on the dynamics between these health factors across childhood (Robinson et al., 2015). Using cross-lagged analysis, the present study investigated the reciprocal relationships between motor competence, cardiorespiratory fitness and weight status among 664 children aged 6-9 years, over a 3-year time period with one measurement per year (t1-t3). Children’s motor competence was evaluated using the Korperkoordinationstest fur Kinder (KTK) and cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed using the endurance shuttle run test (EUROFIT). Height and weight were also measured to compute BMI. Structural equation modelling with robust standard errors (p < .05, CFI = .97, SRMR = .03) revealed that motor competence (t3; R2 = .75) is predicted by prior levels of motor competence, cardiorespiratory fitness and BMI. Similarly, cardiorespiratory fitness (t3; R2 = .58) is predicted by preceding levels of fitness, motor competence and BMI. In contrast, BMI (t3; R2 = .92) is only predicted by previous levels of BMI. This study provided some evidence for the inter-relationship between motor competence, cardiorespiratory fitness and weight status over time as proposed by Stodden et al. (2008). However, motor competence and cardiorespiratory fitness were not found to be predictors of future weight status when controlled for one another. Further longitudinal and multivariate research into the dynamics between motor competence and other health-related factors is needed in order to gain a better understanding of mechanisms underlying positive (or negative) developmental trajectories of health during childhood.

Self-esteem development in middle childhood: Support for sociometer theory

Though it is well-established that self-esteem develops from childhood well into old age, little is known about the processes that influence this change, especially among young populations. This international, cross-sequential study examined the development of self-esteem in 1599 second-graders (Age MT1 = 7.99, SDT1 = 0.52 years; 52% male) in the Netherlands and Germany over three years. Multilevel models revealed that mean-level trends in self-esteem were stable across time among all demographic groups, but that males and students in the Netherlands consistently had higher self-esteem than females and students in Germany. Further analyses examining the role of social support in self-esteem development demonstrated that individuals with better peer and family social support tended to have higher levels of self-esteem and that within-person changes in social support were directly related to changes in self-esteem level, providing support for sociometer theory. These findings suggest that demographic factors as well as social support are important predictors of self-esteem as early as middle childhood.

Measurement of Laterality and Its Relevance for Sports

Abstract This chapter describes the theoretical assumptions underlying the definitions and measurements of laterality and discusses the lack of clarity regarding the different interpretations of laterality. The issue is described on the one hand from an assessment point of view, discussing current methods of measurement in accordance to the three main assessment tools: performance tasks, preference tasks, and self-report questionnaires. The most widely used assessment tool is evaluated more in depth. On the other hand a test theoretical perspective on laterality is given including both classical and probabilistic test theory. The chapter shows that there is a lack of appropriate methods to indicate laterality, which can lead to major misinterpretations, and that there is an apparent need for a clearer and a more consistent definition, as well as for laterality tests for specific populations. Considering laterality assessments, it can only be valid to the degree of which the underlying concept itself is valid. The authors suggest defining laterality as a latent trait and using probabilistic models (IRT models) in future research to help to enhance the structural understanding of laterality.