Association between Gross Motor Competence and Physical Fitness in Chilean Children Aged 4 to 6 Years
Autor
Godoy-Cumillaf, Andrés
Fuentes-Merino, Paola
Giakoni-Ramírez, Frano
Duclos-Bastías, Daniel
Bruneau-Chávez, José
Vergara-Ampuero, Diego
Merellano-Navarro, Eugenio
Resumen
The preschool period is considered critical for the development of motor competence, but as far as we know, no studies have investigated the association between motor competence and physical fitness in Chilean children. The aim of this study was to analyse the association between gross motor competence and physical fitness, controlling for possible confounding factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 144 preschool children (56.25% girls) with an average age of 5.3 years (4 to 6 years) from the Araucanía region, Chile. Motor competence was measured using the Children’s Movement Assessment Battery, 2nd Edition (MABC-2). Regarding physical fitness, the components of cardiorespiratory fitness, lower body muscle strength and speed/agility were evaluated using the Battery to Assess FITness in PREschool (PREFIT). Partial correlation models and analysis of variance (ANCOVA) were used to assess differences in physical fitness between motor competence categories, controlling for age and body mass index. The mean fitness scores for cardiorespiratory fitness, lower body muscle strength and speed/agility components were significantly higher in children with higher gross motor competence. In terms of effect size, large values were found for the lower body strength component in model 1 for boys and in model 2 for the total samples of girls and boys. The results of this study suggest that good levels of gross motor competence are associated with better physical fitness levels. © 2024 by the authors.
Colecciones
Ítems relacionados
Mostrando ítems relacionados por Título, autor o materia.
-
Article
The Effects of a Physical Activity Intervention on Adiposity, Physical Fitness and Motor Competence: A School-Based, Non-Randomized Controlled Trial (2024)
Godoy-Cumillaf, Andrés; Fuentes-Merino, Paola; Giakoni-Ramírez, Frano; Duclos-Bastías, Daniel; Bruneau-Chávez, José; Merellano-Navarro, Eugenio (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2024)Evidence suggests that early physical activity interventions are a means of preventing childhood obesity and are more effective when delivered in a school setting and based on the ecological model. Therefore, the present ... -
Article
The Association between Sedentary Behavior, Physical Activity, and Physical Fitness with Body Mass Index and Sleep Time in Chilean Girls and Boys: A Cross-Sectional Study (2024)
Godoy-Cumillaf, Andrés; Fuentes-Merino, Paola; Farías-Valenzuela, Claudio; Duclos-Bastías, Daniel; Giakoni-Ramírez, Frano; Bruneau-Chávez, José; Merellano-Navarro, Eugenio (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2023)Background: In recent decades, the school population has undergone behavioral changes that have affected their health and adult life. The current educational scenario presents high levels of sedentary behavior, physical ... -
Article
Reference values for fitness level and gross motor skills of 4–6-year-old chilean children (2020)
Godoy-Cumillaf A.; Bruneau-Chávez J.; Fuentes-Merino P.; Vásquez-Gómez J.; Sánchez-López M.; Alvárez-Bueno C.; Cavero-Redondo I. (MDPI AG, 2020)