Framing Physical Literacy for Adults Through a Rehabilitation Lens: An Expert Consensus Study

Research indicates a positive relationship between physical literacy and healthy aging; however, there is no consensus on the components required to become a physically literate adult. The objective of this study was to understand how physical literacy for adults with chronic conditions is characterized from the perspective of healthcare professionals. Physiotherapy leaders and physical literacy researchers within North America were invited to an online consensus panel and presented with questions related to physical literacy and rehabilitation. A nominal group technique was used for idea generation, clarification, and ranking. Confidence and safety with movements, motivation and commitment to physical activity, the ability to self-monitor changes in function, and understanding the benefits of physical activity were key components when defining physical literacy. There is a need to reconceptualize physical literacy to include the rehabilitation needs of adults living with chronic conditions, and to design programs that promote physical literacy to enhance function and mobility.

Parents, Teachers, and Community: A Team Approach to Developing Physical Competence in Children

Increasing children's physical activity engagement has short- and long-term health benefits. Developing physical competence is a key component of children's engagement in physical activity. The purpose of our study was to assess if a 12-week home, school, and community-based physical literacy intervention improved the physical competence of children in kindergarten and grade one. Four schools were either assigned to receive the intervention (n = 2 schools) or continue with their usual practice (control sites) (n = 2 schools). Physical competence was evaluated pre- and post-intervention in 103 intervention (41 female) and 83 usual practice (36 female) children using PLAY Fun. PLAY Parent and PLAY Coach tools measured parent and teacher perspectives of children's physical competence, respectively. The intervention effect was assessed with repeated measures MANOVA to evaluate change in physical competence, with alpha set at p < 0.05. Children in both groups improved their locomotor, object control, and overall physical competence (p < 0.05) over the 12-week intervention. There was a significant intervention effect for locomotor and overall physical competence (p < 0.05). Interestingly, parents did not perceive these changes in physical competence (p > 0.05). However, teachers perceived improved physical competence for children in the intervention. Our physical literacy intervention improved the physical competence of children in kindergarten and grade one.

Assessment of the Relationship between Body Weight Status and Physical Literacy in 8 to 12 Year Old Pakistani School Children: The PAK-IPPL Cross-Sectional Study

(1) Background: Physical literacy (PL) is a multidimensional concept, since it fosters lifetime engagement in physical activities and reduces obesity; however, empirical evidence is lacking to support this association. This study first aimed to establish PL levels stratified by normal weight children and children with overweight and obesity. Furthermore, this study determined a correlation between PL domains and BMI by weight status among South Punjab school children. (2) Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 1360 (Boys: 675 and Girls: 685) children aged 8 to 12, and was conducted using CAPL-2. T-tests and chi-square were used to determine the difference between categorical variables, with MANOVA used to compare weight statuses. Spearman correlation was employed to determine the correlation between variables; p < 0.05 was considered significant. (3) Results: Normal weight children had significantly higher PL and domain scores, except for the knowledge domain. Most children with normal weights were at the achieving and excelling levels, while children with overweight and obesity were at the beginning and progressing levels. The correlation among PL domains in normal and overweight and obese children ranged from weak to strong (r = 0.001 to 0.737), and the knowledge domain was inversely correlated with the motivation domain (r = -0.023). PL and domain scores were inversely correlated to BMI, except for the knowledge domain. (4) Conclusions: Children with normal weight tend to have higher PL and domain scores, while those with overweight or obesity tend to have lower scores. There was a positive relationship between normal weight and higher PL and domain scores, and an inverse relationship was observed between BMI and higher PL scores.

Effects of a Physical Literacy Breaks (PLBreaks) Program on Physical Literacy and Body Composition in Portuguese Schoolchildren: A Study Protocol

(1) Background: Several studies have shown that active breaks have led to different improvements in their participants. However, no studies have assessed how they affect physical literacy (PL). (2) Aims: Therefore, this study will examine the effect of the PLBreaks programme on school children's PL and body composition. (3) Methods: A parallel-group randomised controlled trial will be conducted with assessments of PL (Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy Development) and body composition (height, bodyweight, fat mass and fat-free mass) before and after an active breaks programme. PLBreak programme will run for 3 months and will be carried out 3 days a week for 20 min each day. The PLBreaks programme will consist of two blocks of 10 min of different physical activities (PA). The first block will be focused on the acquisition of knowledge and healthy life habits that will contribute to the development of the domains of knowledge and understanding and daily activity. The second block will be focused on physical competence and motivation throughout games. (4) Conclusions: The present study will investigate the efficacy of PLBreaks in schoolchildren in improving their PL and body composition. If the efficacy of the program is demonstrated, including the programme in public education programmes can be possible. This could be a scientific breakthrough in terms of health-related PA improvement and adherence, as well as the prevention of diseases associated with inactivity.

Validation of a Speech Database for Assessing College Students' Physical Competence under the Concept of Physical Literacy

This study developed a speech database for assessing one of the elements of physical literacy—physical competence. Thirty-one healthy and native Cantonese speakers were instructed to read a material aloud after various exercises. The speech database contained four types of speech, which were collected at rest and after three exercises of the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy 2nd Edition. To show the possibility of detecting each exercise state, a support vector machine (SVM) was trained on the acoustic features. Two speech feature sets, the extended Geneva Minimalistic Acoustic Parameter Set (eGeMAPS) and Computational Paralinguistics Challenge (ComParE), were utilized to perform speech signal processing. The results showed that the two stage four-class SVM were better than the stage one. The performances of both feature sets could achieve 70% accuracy (unweighted average recall (UAR)) in the three-class model after five-fold cross-validation. The UAR result of the resting and vigorous state on the two-class model running with the ComParE feature set was 97%, and the UAR of the resting and moderate state was 74%. This study introduced the process of constructing a speech database and a method that can achieve the short-time automatic classification of physical states. Future work on this corpus, including the prediction of the physical competence of young people, comparison of speech features with other age groups and further spectral analysis, are suggested.

The Impact of Physical Activity Restrictions on Health-Related Fitness in Children with Congenital Heart Disease

Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are often restricted from some types of physical activity (PA) despite the lack of evidence regarding the need to restrict recreational PA, apart from those with rhythm disorders. This study retrospectively investigated the associations between parent-reported activity restrictions (on-going need to restrict exertion, body contact or competition) and measures of health-related fitness among 236 children (8.2 ± 2.1 years, range 4−12 years) treated for single ventricle (n = 104), tetralogy of Fallot (n = 48), transposition of the great arteries (n = 47) or atrial septal defect (n = 37). Body mass index (BMI), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; 7 day accelerometry), strength, flexibility, and movement skill assessment results were collected from the baseline assessment research records for two studies completed in Ontario, Canada. A subset of 62 children also had physician-reported activity restrictions. Regression models empirically tested the goodness of fit between the dependent and independent variables. Participants with body contact restrictions from both parents and physicians had significantly higher BMI z-scores (0.23 ± 1.19 vs. −0.32 ± 0.85; t = 2.55; p = 0.04 and 0.66 ± 1.33 vs. −0.02 ± 0.98; t = 2.25; p = 0.02 for CDC and WHO scores, respectively). Otherwise, BMI z-score was not associated with patient variables (p > 0.36; sex, cardiac diagnosis, age, or activity restriction). Children with any type of parent-reported restriction (0.98 ± 2.06 vs. −0.08 ± 1.99; t = 3.77; p = 0.0002) were less flexible. Movement skill (TGMD-2) scores were 50% lower (25.1 ± 31.2 vs. 52.6 ± 28.6; F = 6.93; p = 0.009) among children with parent-reported competitive sport restrictions. Weekly MVPA (p > 0.18) and strength (p > 0.05) were not associated with activity restriction. Children whose parents reported PA restrictions were less flexible, and had decreased movement skill and increased BMI z-scores if the restrictions impacted competitive sport or body contact, respectively. Future research is recommended to confirm these results among larger samples of children who have both parent- and physician-specified PA restrictions.

Physical Competence, Physical Well-Being, and Perceived Physical Literacy among Older Adults in Day Care Centers of Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, where the aging problem is inevitable, it is increasingly common for older adults to be admitted to day care centers. However, there has been limited research exploring conceivable indicators of healthy aging among older adults in such settings. The present study investigated the associations among the three indicators (physical competence, physical well-being, and perceived physical literacy) among older adults in day care centers of Hong Kong. A total of 97 participants (aged 60 years old or above) participated in the study from April to July 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on participants’ sociodemographic information, physical competence (PC), physical well-being (PWB), and perceived physical literacy (PPL) were collected. Our results showed that the level of PC reached a high level among the participants. Positive correlations were found between PC and PWB and between PPL and PWB (r = 0.22−0.23, p < 0.05). However, PC was not associated with PPL (r = 0.11, p > 0.05). In addition, as a component within PPL, “knowledge and understanding” (KU) was found to be correlated with PC (r = 0.21, p < 0.05) and had a positive and moderate correlation with PWB (r = 0.35, p < 0.01). The results suggest that older adults admitted to day care centers maintain and enhance their physical competence to improve their physical well-being. Greater knowledge and understanding of physical literacy and physical health should be delivered among day care centers considering future development.

Characterization of physical literacy in children with chronic medical conditions compared with healthy controls: a cross-sectional study

To determine the physical literacy, defined as the capability for a physically active lifestyle, of children with medical conditions compared with healthy peers, this multicenter cross-sectional study recruited children with medical conditions from cardiology, neurology (including concussion), rheumatology, mental health, respirology, oncology, hematology, and rehabilitation (including cerebral palsy) clinics. Participants aged 8-12 years (N = 130; mean age: 10.0 ± 1.44 years; 44% female) were randomly matched to 3 healthy peers from a normative database, based on age, gender, and month of testing. Total physical literacy was assessed by the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy, a validated assessment of physical literacy measuring physical competence, daily behaviour, knowledge/understanding, and motivation/confidence. Total physical literacy mean scores (/100) did not differ (t(498) = -0.67; p = 0.44) between participants (61.0 ± 14.2) and matched healthy peers (62.0 ± 10.7). Children with medical conditions had lower mean physical competence scores (/30; -6.5 [-7.44 to -5.51]; p < 0.001) but higher mean motivation/confidence scores (/30; 2.6 [1.67 to 3.63]; p < 0.001). Mean daily behaviour and knowledge/understanding scores did not differ from matches (/30; 1.8 [0.26 to 3.33]; p = 0.02;/10; -0.04 [-0.38 to 0.30]; p = 0.81; respectively). Children with medical conditions are motivated to be physically active but demonstrate impaired movement skills and fitness, suggesting the need for targeted interventions to improve their physical competence. Novelty: Physical literacy in children with diverse chronic medical conditions is similar to healthy peers. Children with medical conditions have lower physical competence than healthy peers, but higher motivation and confidence. Physical competence (motor skill, fitness) interventions, rather than motivation or education, are needed for these youth.

Measurements of Older Adults' Physical Competence under the Concept of Physical Literacy: A Scoping Review

Physical literacy, especially in the fields of physical education and public health, has been gaining global interest in recent years. Applying an appropriate method to measure physical competence under the concept of physical literacy for older adults aligns with the goal of healthy aging. In this scoping review, we reflected on previous empirical studies regarding the measurements of physical competence among older adults holistically and systematically to identify and analyze gaps in the topic of “physical literacy” among older adults as a precursor to a systematic review. We searched five databases using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) for Protocols guidelines: (1) SPORTDiscus; (2) PubMed; (3) Scopus; (4) ScienceDirect; and (5) Web of Science. There were 29 studies included in our thematic analysis. Through our review, we found that 73% of the mean age of the participants comprised older baby boomers who were from 65–74 years old as aging continues. Therefore, more effort should be made in developing physical literacy for older adults with the goal of health promotion. Our results showed that most studies adopted both self-reported and objective measures, in which objective measures were widely embraced by scholars in the measurement, while self-reported measures were encouraged to be included in the assessment as well. Using assessment tools to measure a combination of actual physical competence and perceived physical competence is recommended in the measurement of physical competence, especially in older adults. In addition, other elements of physical literacy should be taken into account when measuring physical competency in older adults. For future implementation, when framing the model to chart physical literacy for older adults, it is important to review the definition again and adopt a holistic measurement system including every aspect of physical literacy.

Proprioceptive accuracy is not associated with self-reported body awareness, body competence, and affect

PURPOSE

Proprioception plays an essential role in motor control and in psychological functioning: it is the basis of body schema and the feeling of body ownership. There are individual differences in the processing accuracy of proprioceptive stimuli. Although proprioceptive acuity plays an important role in physical competence, there are contradictory findings concerning the role it plays in healthy psychological functioning. This study aims to shed more light on this association.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Sixty-eight young adults participated in this study. We estimated proprioceptive acuity by the reposition accuracy of elbow joint positions. We tested both dominant and non-dominant hands with two different versions of Joint Position Reproduction Test. Perceived physical competence, body awareness, and affectivity were assessed using questionnaires (Physical Competence scale of Body Consciousness Questionnaire, Somatic Absorption Scale, and Positive and Negative Affectivity Schedule, respectively).

RESULTS

No significant association between proprioceptive acuity and body awareness, perceived body competence, and positive and negative affect was found.

CONCLUSION

Proprioceptive acuity, measured in the elbow joint, does not play a substantial role in body awareness, perceived body competence, and affect.

Children's Self-Perceived and Actual Motor Competence in Relation to Their Peers

Motor skill competence enables children to move with efficiency and confidence in a variety of physically challenging situations. A child who lacks motor skill competence may be less inclined to take part in physical activities in which his or her peers excel. In this regard, the development of motor competence and children’s perception of their motor abilities may play an important role in ensuring sufficiently physically active adults. To better understand the role of motor competence in children’s participation in physical activity, this study examined children’s perception of their motor competence in comparison to others with their actual motor competence. Data were collected from 1031 children in grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 and between the ages of 8 to 12 years from elementary and junior schools. Using the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy (CAPL) protocols, physical competence and perceived physical competence were obtained from the Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment and the CAPL questionnaire, respectively. Results from this study support previous research as children’s ability to accurately perceive their motor competence increased with age/grade. Still, over half of the participants in this study were not able to accurately perceive their motor competence. In addition, as grade increased from 3 to 6, children over-estimated their abilities less and underestimated their abilities more. This lack of ability to accurately estimate their abilities may be impacting children’s level of physical activity and should be addressed when promoting physical activity.