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Monitoring and Promoting Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and Motor Competence in Children (Volume II)

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A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Global and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2023) | Viewed by 14412

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Dr. Georgian Badicu

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Department of Physical Education and Special Motricity, Faculty of Physical Education and Mountain Sports, Transilvania University of Brasov, 500068 Brasov, Romania
Interests: physical activity; diet, fitness; sport; quality of life
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Hugo Miguel Borges Sarmento

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Research Unit for Sport and Physical Activity (CIDAF), Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: higher education; teacher education; behavioural science; sport psychology; qualitative social research
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Ana Filipa Silva

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Research Nucleus (N2i), Polytechnic Institute of Maia, 4475-690 Maia, Portugal
Interests: motor development; motor control and learning; exercise and brain function; sports training
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is our pleasure to host this Special Issue on ‘’Monitoring and Promoting Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and Motor Competence in Children’’ in the Children journal.

As we know, a large amount of the research confirms that physical activity (PA), physical fitness (PF) and motor competence (MC) are associated with health benefits in individuals of all ages. Achieving a sufficient level of PA and PF will consequently further contribute to better health-related biomarkers. Moreover, holding a good MC allows for better participation in PA and exercise in life, promoting greater physical literacy.

It is true that the measurement of PA in children and young people is subject to several conditioning factors that threaten its validity and reliability. Additionally, it is good to remember that the World Health Organization guidelines on PA and sedentary behavior for children recommend: (1) 180 min of PA (at any intensity) for two-year old children; (2) 180 min of PA, of which 60 min is moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), for 3- to 4-year-old children; (3) at least 60 min of MVPA for children and adolescents from 5 to 17 years old.

Therefore, understanding and developing strategies to promote PA behavior is more important now than ever, because it is essential to improve fitness levels and MC at early ages. These strategies should cover all generations equally, children and youth, adults and the elderly, because negative outcomes are visible in individuals of all ages.

In this Special Issue, we welcome contributions that describe the link between, monitoring and promotion of PA, PF and MC. Contributions in the form of an original article, case report, commentary, or systematic review with meta-analysis are all welcome.

Considering the success and popularity of the Special Issue “Monitoring and Promoting Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and Motor Competence in Children” previously published in the journal Children (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/children/special_issues/Physical_Motor_Competence_Children), we are now releasing a Second Issue, aiming to gather original research papers and review articles. In this Special Issue of Children, senior investigators are welcome to invite mentees and colleagues to co-author submissions under their supervision. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Georgian Badicu
Dr. Hugo Miguel Borges Sarmento
Dr. Ana Filipa Silva
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

physical activity
physical fitness
motor competence
motor development
children
health
monitoring and promoting
sport
sedentary behaviour
obesity
well-being

Published Papers (10 papers)

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19 pages, 1337 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of a 6-Week Swimming Intervention on Gross Motor Development in Primary School Children

by Nicole A. Pratt, Michael J. Duncan and Samuel W. Oxford

Children 2024, 11(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11010001 - 19 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1192

Abstract

(1) Background: This study examines the effects of a 6-week swimming intervention on motor competence in children. (2) Methods: A total of 107 children (n = 52 boys, n = 55 girls) aged 7.8 ± 0.63 years that were recruited from five primary schools in central England participated in this study, undertaking either an aquatic intervention once a week for six weeks or acting as a control group completing their usual physical education program. Participants underwent pre- and post-assessments of general motor competence using the Test of Gross Motor Development, Third Edition (TGMD-3) (a process measure) and a composite of 10 m running sprint time and standing long jump distance (product measures). Aquatic motor competence was assessed via the Aquatic Movement Protocol (AMP). Fear of drowning and swimming opportunities were also assessed by implementing a questionnaire. (3) Results: Following a mixed-model ANOVA, an overall main effect was found from pre (40.05 ± 13.6) to post (48.3 ± 18.6) for TGMD-3 scores (p < 0.05) and pre (38.7 ± 31.7) to post (50.6 ± 36.8) for AMP scores (p = 0.001). A negative significant relationship was found between AMP scores with both fear of water (p = 0.01) and fear of drowning (p < 0.05). A positive significant relationship was found between swimming opportunities and AMP score (p = 0.001). (4) Conclusions: The aquatic-based intervention improves not only aquatic motor competence but also transfers improvements in dryland movement competencies. Future research should look to implement control groupings which do not participate in swimming to further investigate the difference between swimmers and non-swimmers; however, due to swimming being a part of the national curriculum in England, this may not be feasible. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monitoring and Promoting Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and Motor Competence in Children (Volume II))

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12 pages, 598 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Examination of Physical Activity Patterns of Children, Reliability and Structural Validity Testing of the Hungarian Version of the PAQ-C Questionnaire

by Alexandra Makai, Viktória Prémusz, Olívia Dózsa-Juhász, Kitti Fodor-Mazzag, Csaba Melczer and Pongrác Ács

Children 2023, 10(9), 1547; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10091547 - 14 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1299

Abstract

Introduction: Several studies report on the importance of physical activity (PA) in childhood, which influences attitudes towards health in adulthood. For monitoring PA, trustworthy measurement tools are needed. The study aimed to adapt the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C) to the Hungarian language and assess its validity, reliability, and factor structure. Methods: A total of 620 children (the average age was 10.62 (SD 2.36)) participated in the cross-sectional study. To assess physical activity, the PAQ-C questionnaire was used. The collected data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 28.0 and IBM SPSS AMOS 29.0 software. Results: The internal consistency was acceptable (alpha = 0.729) and the test-retest reliability showed acceptable agreement (ICC = 0.772). The confirmatory factor favoured a one-factor structure of the questionnaire. The average PAQ-C score for girls was 2.87 (SD 1.07), and for boys it was 3.00 (SD 1.05), which showed a significant difference (p = 0.005). Discussion: Based on our findings, our study tested the validity and reliability of the one-factor PAQ-C questionnaire, a valid and reliable measurement tool to test the physical activity patterns of primary school children in a Hungarian sample. Further research is needed to develop physical activity monitoring of Hungarian children. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monitoring and Promoting Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and Motor Competence in Children (Volume II))

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14 pages, 1290 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Children’s Physiological and Perceptual Responses to Sports Exergames When Played in Different Positions

by Nur Nashruha Mohd Sidek, Maziah Mat Rosly and Nasrul Anuar Abd Razak

Children 2023, 10(9), 1489; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10091489 - 31 Aug 2023

Viewed by 769

Abstract

Today’s children are prone to becoming involved in exergames, but their positions during play have not been sufficiently investigated to determine whether the positions they adopt result in equal responses. The design of this study involved the collection of physiological and perceptual responses (i.e., heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion, and enjoyment score) during exergames in three different sports (bowling, tennis, and boxing) with players in different positions (sitting and standing). The participants played each game for 10 min while their HR was recorded. After the gameplay, each perceptual response was retrieved. The results revealed a significant increase in HR above rest during exergaming overall (p < 0.001). Standing gameplay resulted in a significantly higher HR (p < 0.001) than seated gameplay. Compared to tennis and bowling, boxing produced the highest physiological response (p < 0.001) and perceived exertion (p < 0.05) in both positions. The participants perceived all the sports exergames to be enjoyable, as their enjoyment scores did not significantly differ for each game (p > 0.5). For all the variables, no statistically significant differences between genders were identified (p > 0.5). This home-based intervention demonstrated that sports exergames are not only enjoyable; overall, they can provide at least moderately intense physical activity, whether played seated or standing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monitoring and Promoting Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and Motor Competence in Children (Volume II))

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11 pages, 1085 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study of the Effects of Physical-Activity Practice and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet on Emotional Intelligence in Elementary School Education Students

by Eduardo Melguizo-Ibáñez, José Luis Ubago-Jiménez, Gabriel González-Valero, Georgian Badicu, Sameer Badri Al-Mhanna and Pilar Puertas-Molero

Children 2023, 10(7), 1211; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10071211 - 12 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 979

Abstract

Research shows that regular physical exercise and a healthy lifestyle have a beneficial effect on the health of adolescents. Other studies have also shown that gender is also a determining factor when it comes to leading an active and healthy lifestyle. The aims of this study are (a) to develop a structural-equation model formed by the variables of emotional intelligence, physical-activity practice, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet and (b) to consider that model through a multigroup analysis. A descriptive, comparative, and cross-sectional study was carried out. The sample consisted of 567 primary school students. The KIDMED, PAQ-C, and TMMS-24 questionnaires were used for data collection. We found that there are differences in the effects of the practice of physical activity and adherence to the Mediterranean diet on the emotional domain. We also concluded that, during adolescence, gender is a key element in acquiring a healthy and active lifestyle. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monitoring and Promoting Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and Motor Competence in Children (Volume II))

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11 pages, 330 KiB

Open AccessArticle

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

by Andrés Godoy-Cumillaf, Paola Fuentes-Merino, Claudio Farías-Valenzuela, Daniel Duclos-Bastías, Frano Giakoni-Ramírez, José Bruneau-Chávez and Eugenio Merellano-Navarro

Children 2023, 10(6), 981; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10060981 - 31 May 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1913

Abstract

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 inactivity, low physical fitness, high levels of obesity, and non-compliance with sleep recommendations. In Chile, the scientific evidence on associations between these behaviors is incipient. Objective: To analyze the association between sedentary behavior, physical activity, and physical fitness with BMI and minutes of sleep in Chilean children aged 10 to 11 years. Methods: A non-probabilistic convenience sample of 222 schoolchildren aged 10 to 11 years. The variables measured were body composition (BMI), cardiorespiratory fitness (20 m shuttle run test), lower and upper muscular strength (long jump test and handgrip dynamometry), speed (4 × 10 m running), and flexibility (sit and reach test). Physical activity and sleep were measured by accelerometers. Results: Of the participants, 60.4% and 90.6% did not comply with sleep and physical activity recommendations, respectively. Physical fitness was higher in boys in all components. The results of the linear regression show that in girls, moderate–vigorous-intensity physical activity, lower- and upper-body muscular strength, and cardiorespiratory endurance were associated with BMI and sleep. In boys, light-intensity physical activity and upper-body muscular strength were associated with both variables. Conclusions: Physical activity intensity, strength, and cardiorespiratory fitness were associated with BMI and sleep; however, physical activity intensity and associated physical fitness components differed by gender. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monitoring and Promoting Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and Motor Competence in Children (Volume II))

10 pages, 294 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Working Memory in Overweight Boys during Physical Education Classes

by Aymen Hawani, Anis ben Chikha, Wael Zoghlami, Mohamed Abdelkader Souissi, Omar Trabelsi, Maher Mrayeh and Antonella Muscella

Children 2023, 10(5), 805; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10050805 - 29 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1062

Abstract

This study examined the effect of small-sided football games (SSFG) and small-sided Ultimate Frisbee games (SSUFG) on working memory, response times, and feeling mood of boys with overweight. Twenty-eight boys (age 12.23 ± 1.58 years) participated in two trials during physical education lessons (20-min SSFG and 20-min SSUFG) in a counterbalanced, randomized crossover design. The response times and feeling mood were measured for all participants post-exercise through the Sternberg paradigm and feeling scale. For the response times, the paired samples t-test revealed a significantly better reaction time after SSUFG at the “One item level” of the Sternberg paradigm (p = 0.014, Hedges’ g = 0.27, small effect) and (p = 0.010, Hedges’ g = 0.74, medium effect), at “Three item level” (p = 0.000106, Hedges’ g = 1.88, very large effect). The SSFG also showed vigor at the “Five item level” (p = 0.047, Hedges’ g = 0.61, medium effect). For the feeling mood, the feeling score was significantly higher after the SSUFG session than the SSFG session and the increase in feeling scores observed after switching from SSFG to SSUFG was significantly different (p < 0.001) from the decrease observed in feeling scores after switching from SSUFG to SSFG. Therefore, the results of the study allow the teacher to introduce new sports and reflect on the motor tasks he or she proposes for boys with overweight during physical education classes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monitoring and Promoting Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and Motor Competence in Children (Volume II))

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13 pages, 953 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Subjective Perceptions and the Efficacy of Objective Evaluation in Soccer School Players’ Classification: A Cross-Sectional Study

by Federico Abate Daga, Franco Veglio, Gian Maria Cherasco and Samuel Agostino

Children 2023, 10(5), 767; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10050767 - 23 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1420

Abstract

Objectives: The first objective was to investigate the influence of subjective perceptions and the efficacy of objective evaluation regarding the classification of soccer school players by their level of performance. The second objective was to advise on accurate collocation according to objective assessment of players’ performance. Methods: An objective evaluation of the players’ motor performance abilities and coaches’ subjective perceptions of the players’ levels of performance was conducted with 34 young football players (U11) from Torino FC soccer school. The players were allocated to three groups based on their perceived performance level at the start of the season. The players were evaluated using a field test battery, and team coaches provided subjective ratings of the players’ abilities. Results: MANOVA showed significant differences between the playing levels (F = 2.185, p < 0.05; partial η2 = 0.34) in the 10 × 5 shuttle run, 20 m sprint test (objective evaluations), heading, understanding of the game, positioning on the field, speed and agility (subjective perception) (F = 1.951, p < 0.05; partial η2 = 0.43). A discriminant analysis of the field test scores revealed that 76.5% of players were correctly categorised in one of the three performance-level groups. However, the first group (the best players) had the lowest predictive accuracy rate (58.3%). By comparison, the second group (the average players) had a much higher predictive accuracy rate (83.3%), and the third (the weakest players) had the highest (90.0%). Conclusions: These findings support the role of objective performance evaluation in categorising players of different skill in soccer schools. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monitoring and Promoting Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and Motor Competence in Children (Volume II))

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11 pages, 1369 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Feasibility and Reliability of Health-Related Physical Fitness Tests in Children and Adolescents with Hearing Impairment

by Jiafu Huang, Jianmei Yang, Justin A. Haegele, Lijuan Wang, Sitong Chen and Chunxiao Li

Children 2023, 10(2), 353; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10020353 - 10 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1563

Abstract

Although research supports the feasibility and reliability of health-related physical fitness (HRPF) tests in typically developing children and adolescents, little is known regarding the feasibility and reliability of these tests for those with hearing impairments (HI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and reliability of a HRPF test battery for children and adolescents with HI. A test–retest design with a one-week interval was conducted with 26 participants with HI (mean age: 12.7 ± 2.8 years; 9 male). The feasibility and reliability of seven field-based HRPF tests (i.e., body mass index, grip strength, standing long jump, vital capacity, long distance run, sit-and-reach, one leg stand) were evaluated. All the tests showed high feasibility (completion rate > 90%). Six tests indicated good to excellent test–retest reliability (all intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] > 0.75) while the one leg stand test showed poor reliability (ICC = 0.36). Relatively large percentages of standard error of measurement (SEM%) and minimal detectable change (MDC%) were observed in the sit-and-reach test (SEM% = 52.4%, MDC% = 145.2%) and one leg stand test (SEM% = 107.9%, MDC% = 299.2%), whereas the rest of the tests demonstrated reasonable SEM% and MDC% values. Collectively, most of the tests can be feasibly and reliably used to assess HRPF for children and adolescents with HI. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monitoring and Promoting Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and Motor Competence in Children (Volume II))

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11 pages, 839 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Levels of Physical Activity, Family Functioning and Self-Concept in Elementary and High School Education Students: A Structural Equation Model

by Félix Zurita-Ortega, José Manuel Alonso-Vargas, Pilar Puertas-Molero, Gabriel González-Valero, José Luis Ubago-Jiménez and Eduardo Melguizo-Ibáñez

Children 2023, 10(1), 163; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10010163 - 14 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1776

Abstract

In the adolescent population there is great concern about low levels of physical activity and low levels of family awareness of the benefits of physical exercise on physical and mental health. This study aims to determine the influence of physical activity levels, family functioning and self-concept in primary and secondary school students, as well as to develop a structural equation model as a function of weekly physical activity time. A descriptive, cross-sectional, comparative study was conducted on whether students engage in more than three hours of physical activity per week. To collect the data, instruments validated by the scientific community were used, such as the Adaptability, Partnership, Growth, Affection, and Resolve family questionnaire (APGAR) and the self-concept questionnaire form 5. The results show that those students who engage in more than 3 h of physical activity per week have higher levels of family functioning than those who do not meet this sport criterion. In addition, physically active students show higher scores on all dimensions of self-concept than those who practice less than 3 h of physical activity per week. Finally, as a conclusion, it can be affirmed that the amount of physical activity practice brings benefits to student’s mental health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monitoring and Promoting Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and Motor Competence in Children (Volume II))

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13 pages, 257 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

Latent Transition Analysis of Motor Development Patterns in Preschoolers

by Hsueh-Chin Chao, Chun-Ta Lin, Jui-Hung Tu and Chung-Chin Wu

Children 2023, 10(5), 777; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10050777 - 25 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1055

Abstract

In-group heterogeneity is often neglected during investigations of motor development patterns in children. Moreover, the variation in motor development patterns over time has seldom been examined. In this work, 1884 three-year-old preschoolers were selected from a panel study conducted in Taiwan called the National Longitudinal Study of Child Development and Care. A confirmatory factor analysis was applied to analyze the construct validity of the assessments of motor development used for these children. A latent profile analysis and latent transition analysis (LTA) were sequentially applied to clarify their motor development patterns at the ages of three and four years and their transitions between these two ages. The following findings were obtained: (1) The motor development assessment had good validity. (2) Considerable heterogeneity regarding motor development in preschoolers was observed, in which four and three subgroups displaying distinct levels of mastery with respect to their gross and fine motor skills were identified at the ages of three and four years, respectively. (3) From age three to age four, a large proportion of the preschoolers exhibited improvements or retentions in both gross and fine motor skills, whereas some of the preschoolers were classified into subgroups displaying “gross motor retention and fine motor progression,” “gross motor progression and fine motor retention,” “gross motor retention and fine motor regression,” and “gross motor regression and fine motor progression.” Few preschoolers exhibited “general motor regression.” The present results suggest that there were considerable heterogeneous groups in the motor development in preschoolers in the middle of early childhood, and this phenomenon has rarely been addressed in former studies. The LTA results implied that effective interventions should be given sequentially to preschoolers in subgroups whose motor development presented regression and retention tendencies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monitoring and Promoting Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and Motor Competence in Children (Volume II))

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