Fundamental Movement Skill Proficiency and Health Among a Cohort of Irish Primary School Children

Exploring the Relationship between Fundamental Movement Skills and Health-Related Fitness among First and Second Graders in Korea: Implications for Healthy Childhood Development

This study investigated the relationship between fundamental movement skills (FMSs) and health-related fitness (HRF) among first and second graders in South Korean elementary schools. It aimed to provide foundational data for developing physical education programs tailored to the motor development stages and fitness levels of younger elementary school students. This study utilized secondary data from the physical activity competence evaluation conducted by the Health Physical Activity Institute (HPAI). In October 2023, the HPAI evaluated the fundamental movement skills (jumping, running, hopping, static balance, dynamic balance, overhand throwing, and kicking) and health-related fitness (muscular strength, cardiorespiratory endurance, and flexibility) of 291 first and second-grade students. The collected data were analyzed through frequency and multiple regression analyses performed using SPSS software. The results revealed that higher scores in jumping and hopping are associated with greater muscular strength, cardiorespiratory endurance, and flexibility. Running had no significant effect on HRF elements. Higher scores in static balance (i.e., that used in single-leg stance) were associated with increased muscular strength, cardiorespiratory endurance, and flexibility, but dynamic balance (balance beam walking) did not have a significant effect. Higher scores in overhand throwing were associated with greater muscular strength and cardiorespiratory endurance, but kicking did not show a significant association. Overall, these findings emphasize the importance of prioritizing jumping and static balance in physical education for the well-rounded health development of first and second graders. Based on the results derived from this study, it is expected to serve as a theoretical basis for including "jumping" and "static balance" in the first and second grade curriculum of elementary schools, thereby providing essential guidance.

Methodology for evaluation of complex school-based health promotion interventions

There is a need for careful examination of large volumes of collected (structured and unstructured) information related to school-based evaluation. There is also no published, comprehensive framework/s for evaluating complex interventions in Irish primary schools. The aim of this paper is to outline a methodology for process evaluation of an Irish primary school-based physical activity (PA) and nutrition intervention. Evaluation followed the three themes outlined by the British Medical Research Council: implementation, context, and mechanism of impact that we further divided into six dimensions. Methodological tools included questionnaires, PA logs, reflective journals, write and draw, and semi-structured interviews. We triangulated findings across these multiple tools to assess each dimension. We designed a unique framework to enable comparisons and offer researchers a template for evaluating complex health promotion interventions in primary schools. We present a methodology for evaluating a complex school-based health promotion intervention. The framework we propose integrates process and outcome data. It aims to enhance future result interpretation and facilitate informed comparisons among intervention schools.

An Effective and Playful Way of Practicing Online Motor Proficiency in Preschool Children

The children's fairytale is a playful educational tool that can be modified in such a way to enhance motor proficiency. This study investigated the effect of an online exercise program with modified fairytales on children's motor proficiency during the kindergarten curriculum. Forty preschool children (20 girls and 20 boys; 5.13 ± 0.24 years old) were divided into two equal groups: an intervention (IG) group and a control group (CG). The IG followed a 3-month (3 times/week) online exercise intervention program (supervised by the class's kindergarten teacher) with modified children's fairytales, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an aim to improve their motor proficiency. The CG did not attend any exercise intervention program. The Democritos Movement Screening Tool for Preschool Children (DEMOST-PRE), consisting of ten tests, was used to assess the children's motor proficiency. Τhe IG, after the end of the intervention program, significantly improved in the DEMOST-PRE total score (p < 0.001; mean change: 40.7%), while the CG did not significantly improve in the total score (p > 0.05). Furthermore, in the IG, a significant negative correlation between the pre-training DEMOST-PRE total score and the percentage change following the intervention (r = -0.64; p = 0.002) was observed. A modified exercise program using children's fairytales may be incorporated into the kindergarten curriculum as an effective educational tool for the improvement of motor proficiency.

Configurations of actual and perceived motor competence among elementary school children in China: differences in physical activity

Background

Actual motor competence (AMC) and perceived motor competence (PMC), as determinants of children's active participation in physical activity (PA), were important for children's healthy development. The correlation between the two had been confirmed. To further understand this relationship, this study investigated the current status of AMC, PMC, and PA in Chinese school-age children, used a person-centered approach to reveal the characteristics of the development of motor competence (MC) in Chinese school-age children and the differences in the level of PA among different MC profiles of children.

Materials and methods

A total of 532 children (age: M = 9.37, SD = 1.80 years-old) from grades 1 to 6 participated in this cross-sectional study (male, n = 284, 53.4%; female, n = 248, 46.6%). The Test of Gross Motor Development-3 (TGMD-3) was used to measure children's AMC, the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence (PMSC) to measure children's PMC, and the revised Chinese version of Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) to assess children's PA levels.

Results

There were some gender differences in AMC but no significant gender differences in PMC and PA in children. AMC and PA levels increased as the children aged, while PMC showed some decline. Cluster analysis identified four groups of children with different MC profiles. Two groups of children had corresponding AMC and PMC levels (the "high-high" cluster, N = 200, 38.91%; the "low-low" cluster, N = 63, 12.26%), and the other two groups were inconsistent in AMC and PMC (the "high-low" cluster, N = 100, 19.46%; the "low-high" cluster, N = 151, 29.38%). Significant differences in PA levels were found between children with different MC profiles. The "high-high" cluster children had the highest PA levels, whereas the "low-low" cluster children demonstrated the lowest PA levels.

Conclusion

AMC, PMC, and PA in Chinese school-age children were consistent with the pattern of child growth and development. Children with high AMC and high PMC usually had high levels of PA. Therefore, it was recommended to seize the best opportunity to intervene with children, and family, school, and community should synergize to help children improve AMC and PMC, and then actively participate in PA.

A scoping review of school-based anthropometric measurement

Though anthropometric measurement (AM) frequently occurs in school settings, it is not without risks to child wellbeing. The aim of this scoping review was to examine how AM in school settings takes place and is reported on to make recommendations on best practices. We identified and extracted data from 440 studies published since 2005 that conducted AM in school (pre-school through secondary/high school) settings. Privacy and sensitivity of AM were unclear in over 90% of studies. Thirty-one studies (7.0%) reported protecting student privacy, while nine (2.0%) reported public measurement. Only five studies reported sensitivity regarding AM (1.1%). Exactly who conducted AM was not specified in 201 studies (45.7%). Sixty-nine studies did not provide a weight status criteria citation (19.2%), and 10 used an incorrect citation (2.7%). In summary, serious shortcomings in the reporting of how AM is conducted and by whom, along with details concerning weight status classification, are evident. There is considerable room for improvement regarding the reporting of key methodological details. We propose best practices for AM in school settings, which also double as conditions that should be met before AM takes place in school settings.

Correlation of fundamental movement skills with health-related fitness elements in children and adolescents: A systematic review

Objective

To examine the correlations between fundamental movement skills and health-related fitness elements (cardiopulmonary function, flexibility, body composition, muscle strength and endurance) in children and adolescents and investigate the evaluation methods and tools of fundamental movement skills and health-related fitness.

Methods

Six electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, EBSCO and CNKI) were searched, and the research literature on the correlation between children's and adolescents' fundamental movement skills and health-related fitness published since 2002 was collected. The guidelines of the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement and the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement were used to evaluate the quality of the literature, and the sources, samples, measurement methods, main results and statistical data of the study were analyzed, summarized and discussed.

Results

After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 49 studies were included. There were 13 tools for evaluating fundamental movement skills and 4 tools for evaluating comprehensive health-related fitness in the included literature. Sufficient research evidence supports a significant positive correlation between fundamental movement skills and cardiopulmonary function (10, 100%) and muscle strength and endurance (12, 100%), and most studies support the positive correlation between fundamental movement skills and flexibility (4, 66.7%), and the significant negative correlation between fundamental movement skills and body composition (29, 67.4%). Studies used skinfold, AF%, BF%, FM, and FFMI as evaluation methods. They showed a consistently significant negative correlation between body composition and fundamental movement skills (9, 100%), while BMI or waist circumference as evaluation methods showed no consistent significant negative correlation result (20, 58.8%). Moreover, in the sub-item evaluation of fundamental movement skills, object manipulation, locomotor and balance skills were all significantly and positively correlated with cardiopulmonary function and muscle strength and endurance. In contrast, locomotor skills were more closely related to body composition than object manipulation skills.

Conclusion

A significant correlation exists between children's and adolescents' fundamental movement skills and health-related fitness elements.

Optimising long-term athletic development: An investigation of practitioners' knowledge, adherence, practices and challenges

Long-term athletic development practices have been recommended for the past two decades. However, limited research exists exploring the knowledge and skills required by practitioners to optimise long-term athletic development. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, adherence, practices, and challenges of practitioners responsible for delivering long-term athletic development. A mixed methods survey was completed by 236 practitioners (e.g., sport coaches, physical education teachers) consisting of four parts; 1) demographics, 2) knowledge, 3) adherence, and 4) practices and challenges. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed by Friedman’s analysis of variance and thematic analyses, respectively. Quantitative findings showed practitioners 1) recognised their responsibility for delivering long-term athletic development, 2) have a familiarity with existing developmental models, and 3) had high adherence, focused upon health and wellbeing, to delivering long-term athletic development. However, practices associated with growth and maturity, monitoring and assessment, and the systematic progression and individualisation of training had lower adherence. Qualitative analysis indicated that practitioner’s perceived definitions of athleticism and long-term athletic development were inconsistent, especially according to the psychological components (i.e., confidence). Practitioners’ descriptions of their long-term athletic development practices identified two higher order themes; 1) goals, in which long-term athletic development “is for life” and the importance of “an individual centered journey” highlighted as sub-themes; and 2) realities of delivering long-term athletic development, whereby variety in programme delivery, monitoring development and practical challenges were noted as key priorities. Eight practical challenges were identified including governance and priorities, resources, education, early specialization, high training volumes, staff communication, parents and youth motivation. This mixed method survey highlighted a multitude of knowledge, adherence, practices and challenges towards long-term athletic development. These novel findings can help inform policy to optimise long-term athletic development and to support the complex problem of developing a healthier, fitter and more physically active youth population.

Fundamental Movement Skill Proficiency Among British Primary School Children: Analysis at a Behavioral Component Level

Fundamental Movement Skill (FMS) proficiency is an important antecedent of physical activity for children and adolescents. Many studies report children's overall FMS proficiency to be low. However, in order to develop effective intervention strategies, it is critical to understand FMS proficiency at a behavioral component level. This study investigated British primary school children's FMS proficiency across all three FMS domains, reporting proficiency at both an individual skill level and at a behavioral component level. Participants were 219 primary school children, aged 7-10 years (Boys 111, girls 108) from central England. We assessed (a) eight FMS (run, jump, hop, skip, catch, overarm throw, underarm throw, stability) using the second and third revisions of the Test of Gross Motor Development, and (b) stability, using the rock skill from the Rudd stability assessment tool. We calculated descriptive statistics and frequencies for each FMS and their behavioral components. We explored gender differences using the Mann- Whitney U-test, and differences between school years using the Kruskal- Wallis test. There was a similar pattern in the prevalence of failure for behavioral components across skills, with children failing on components requiring (a) the simultaneous use of both upper and lower limbs and (b) contralateral actions. Detailed descriptive analysis of low proficiency levels highlighted co ordination and the process for power/force production. These data can be used to guide development and plan targeted interventions for the weakest skills and behavioral components of 7-10 year old British primary school children to increase their FMS levels.

A Follow-Up Study of Motor Skill Development and Its Determinants in Preschool Children from Middle-Income Family

We tracked the motor skill development of young children aged 3-6 years and investigated the influence of middle-income home environment on the development of motor skill. 268 children were selected from kindergartens in Beijing. The Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD) tool was used to test the development of locomotor and object-control skills (LS and OS), and a survey of children's behaviour and home environment was conducted. During the follow-up, the LS and OS of children aged 3-6 years continued to grow, with an annual growth rate of 20% and 30%. Five LS indicators and two OS indicators were significantly higher in the 3-4-year group than in the 4-5 and 5-6-year groups (p < 0.01). The age-sex trend model showed that girls' locomotor skill developed at a significantly higher rate than that of boys (β = 6.3004 and 4.6782, p < 0.001). Three-year-old boys performed significantly better than girls on object-control motor skill (p < 0.05). Factors affecting the rate of children's motor skill development in middle-income families included the frequency of playing with friends (β = 0.133, p = 0.032) and the frequency of bicycling, skateboarding, dancing, running, and jumping (β = 0.041, p = 0.042). Family income, parents' education level, and family activity area did not significantly affect the growth rate of motor skills. For middle-income families, the improvement of material environment at home like more playing spaces and toys did not speed up the motor development, while more opportunities to play with friends and engage in a variety of sports activities could promote children's motor skill development.

Girls From Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Schools Exhibit Greater Object Control Skills Than Girls From Schools on the Upper Levels of Socioeconomic Development

This study compared fundamental movement skills (FMS) in children from schools on the lower and upper levels of socioeconomic status. Data were collected from 228 schoolchildren across five schools in Ireland. There were 147 children from schools of social disadvantage (Mage  = 7.67 [SD = 0.62] years; 55% boys) and 81 children from schools considered in the normal range for socioeconomic development (Mage  = 7.34 [SD = 0.26] years; 56% boys). FMS were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development–2. Mixed models were used to estimate differences in FMS, while controlling for the nested structure of the data and for sex, age, body mass index, and class size. There was a substantial sex×school interaction, with girls from schools of social disadvantage exhibiting greater object-control skills proficiency than their counterparts in schools on the upper tertiles of socioeconomic development (standardized effect size = 0.66 [±95% confidence limits, ±0.50]; p = .02). The suggestion that children from social disadvantage are delayed in FMS is unsupported in this cohort. Differences in the structure of physical education and types of sports undertaken by children in schools of social disadvantage in Ireland are considered as explanations for this departure from previous studies.