TY - JOUR
T1 - Basic Motor Competencies of 6- to 8-Year-Old Primary School Children in 10 European Countries
T2 - a Cross-Sectional Study on Associations With Age, Sex, Body Mass Index, and Physical Activity
AU - Wälti, Marina
AU - Sallen, Jeffrey
AU - Adamakis, Manolis
AU - Ennigkeit, Fabienne
AU - Gerlach, Erin
AU - Heim, Christopher
AU - Jidovtseff, Boris
AU - Kossyva, Irene
AU - Labudová, Jana
AU - Masaryková, Dana
AU - Mombarg, Remo
AU - De Sousa Morgado, Liliane
AU - Niederkofler, Benjamin
AU - Niehues, Maike
AU - Onofre, Marcos
AU - Pühse, Uwe
AU - Quitério, Ana
AU - Scheuer, Claude
AU - Seelig, Harald
AU - Vlček, Petr
AU - Vrbas, Jaroslav
AU - Herrmann, Christian
N1 - Copyright © 2022 Wälti, Sallen, Adamakis, Ennigkeit, Gerlach, Heim, Jidovtseff, Kossyva, Labudová, Masaryková, Mombarg, De Sousa Morgado, Niederkofler, Niehues, Onofre, Pühse, Quitério, Scheuer, Seelig, Vlček, Vrbas and Herrmann.
PY - 2022/4/25
Y1 - 2022/4/25
N2 - Basic motor competencies (BMC) are a prerequisite for children to be physically active, participate in sports and thus develop a healthy, active lifestyle. The present study provides a broad screening of BMC and associations with age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and extracurricular physical activity (PA) in 10 different European countries. The different country and regional contexts within Europe will offer a novel view on already established BMC associations. The cross-sectional study was conducted in 11 regions in 10 European countries in 2018. The motor competence areas,
object movement (OM) and
self-movement (SM), were assessed using the MOBAK-1-2 test instrument in 3758 first and second graders (age:
M = 6.86 ± 0.60 years; 50% girls) during Physical Education classes. Children were questioned about their extracurricular PA and age. Their body weight and height were measured in order to calculate BMI. Statistical analyses included variances and correlations. The results showed significant differences in BMC levels between countries (OM:
F = 18.74,
p < 0.001, η
2 = 0.048; SM:
F = 73.10,
p < 0.001, η
2 = 0.163) whereas associations between BMC and correlates were similar. Boys performed significantly better in OM while girls performed better in SM. Age was consistently positively related to OM and SM with older children reaching higher levels of BMC than younger ones. While participation rates for extracurricular PA differed widely, participation in ball sports was correlated with OM and SM. Participation in individual sports showed a significant association with SM. In summary, BMC levels of children seem to depend on where they live and are strongly related to their participation in extracurricular PA. Therefore, education and health policies, in order to enhance motor competence development and PA participation, are recommended. Further research on country-specific Physical Education frameworks and their influence on BMC will provide more insights into structural factors and cultural characteristics of BMC development. On a school level, support tools and educational materials for teachers about BMC may enable children to achieve a basic level of motor competencies through Physical Education, contributing to lifelong participation in PA.
AB - Basic motor competencies (BMC) are a prerequisite for children to be physically active, participate in sports and thus develop a healthy, active lifestyle. The present study provides a broad screening of BMC and associations with age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and extracurricular physical activity (PA) in 10 different European countries. The different country and regional contexts within Europe will offer a novel view on already established BMC associations. The cross-sectional study was conducted in 11 regions in 10 European countries in 2018. The motor competence areas,
object movement (OM) and
self-movement (SM), were assessed using the MOBAK-1-2 test instrument in 3758 first and second graders (age:
M = 6.86 ± 0.60 years; 50% girls) during Physical Education classes. Children were questioned about their extracurricular PA and age. Their body weight and height were measured in order to calculate BMI. Statistical analyses included variances and correlations. The results showed significant differences in BMC levels between countries (OM:
F = 18.74,
p < 0.001, η
2 = 0.048; SM:
F = 73.10,
p < 0.001, η
2 = 0.163) whereas associations between BMC and correlates were similar. Boys performed significantly better in OM while girls performed better in SM. Age was consistently positively related to OM and SM with older children reaching higher levels of BMC than younger ones. While participation rates for extracurricular PA differed widely, participation in ball sports was correlated with OM and SM. Participation in individual sports showed a significant association with SM. In summary, BMC levels of children seem to depend on where they live and are strongly related to their participation in extracurricular PA. Therefore, education and health policies, in order to enhance motor competence development and PA participation, are recommended. Further research on country-specific Physical Education frameworks and their influence on BMC will provide more insights into structural factors and cultural characteristics of BMC development. On a school level, support tools and educational materials for teachers about BMC may enable children to achieve a basic level of motor competencies through Physical Education, contributing to lifelong participation in PA.
KW - basic motor competencies
KW - children
KW - healthy lifestyle
KW - Europe
KW - adolescents
KW - basis motorische vaardigheden
KW - kinderen
KW - gezonde leefstijl
KW - Europa
KW - jong volwassenen
U2 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.804753
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.804753
M3 - Article
C2 - 35548549
SN - 1664-1078
VL - 13
JO - Frontiers in Psychology
JF - Frontiers in Psychology
ER -