Abstract
An omnipresent concern has been expressed for children s poor engagement in physical activities. Often
this poverty is related to a negative influence on health related factors, such as increase of blood pressure,
resting heart rate, obesity and prevalence of type 2 diabetes, etc. During the preschool years, however,
when the preschoolers have to develop their fundamental movement skills (Gallahue & Donnelly, 2003)
this lacking engagement in PA s can have a negative influence on the development of those skills as well.
The risk of creating a severe constraint (Haywood & Getchell, 2005) for further engagement in PA s later in
life is not inconceivable. Recommendations for daily MVPA for preschoolers are not uniform. The National
association for sport and physical education (NASPE 2002) suggests children attending preschool should accumulate
at least 120 minutes of MVPA per day. Other recommendations on health behavior are derived from
broadening the widely accepted recommendations for school age youth of at least 60 minutes of MVPA per
day. BMI referenced standards expressed in step counts are 12000 for 6 year old girls and 15000 for 6 year old
boys (Tudor-Locke et al., 2004). This study focuses on the amount of daily PA among
preschoolers (age 4 to 6) during a rgular school day and on the relationship between preschooler s PA and the
development of their fundamental movement skills.
METHODS
Subjects for the present study were recruited through preschools in Flanders. Two schools were asked to and
agreed for participation in the study. 105 parents of 2nd and 3rd year preschoolers were invited to enroll their children
in the study by an information letter. Sixty parents (57%) provided informed consent. Before assessment,
oral consent was provided by all individual preschoolers. Step counts were assessed using the Yamax digiwalker
pedometer TYPE SW 200 (Yamax corp., Japan). Pedometer data were collected on three full school days. In
the present study step counts were registered in absolute count per school day. Movement skill development was
assessed using the MOT 4 6 assessment tool (Zimmer & Volkamer, 1987). The preschooler s weight was measured
using a digital balance, their length was measured using a standard measuring tape. All preschooler wore
light clothes without shoes. Data on movement skill development was collected in one test session of 15 to 20
minutes per preschooler. Data were analyzed using SPSS 15.0 for windows.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
Will be presented at the conference and included in the full paper.
REFERENCES
Gallahue, D., & Donnely, F. (2003). Developmental
physical education for all children. Champaign, IL:
Human Kinetics.
Haywood, K., & Getchell, N. (2005). Life span motor
development (4th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Zimmer, R., & Volkamer, M. (1987). Motoriktest für
vier-bis sechsjärige kinder (manual). Weinheim: Beltztest.
NASPE (2002). Active start: A statement of physical activity
guidelines for children birth to five years. Reston,
VA: National association for sport and physical education
publications.
Tudor-Locke et al. (2004). BMI referenced standards
for recommended pedometer determined steps/day
in children. Prev. Med. 38(5), 857 /864.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors wish to thank Astrid Loubry for her
contribution to the collection of the data.
this poverty is related to a negative influence on health related factors, such as increase of blood pressure,
resting heart rate, obesity and prevalence of type 2 diabetes, etc. During the preschool years, however,
when the preschoolers have to develop their fundamental movement skills (Gallahue & Donnelly, 2003)
this lacking engagement in PA s can have a negative influence on the development of those skills as well.
The risk of creating a severe constraint (Haywood & Getchell, 2005) for further engagement in PA s later in
life is not inconceivable. Recommendations for daily MVPA for preschoolers are not uniform. The National
association for sport and physical education (NASPE 2002) suggests children attending preschool should accumulate
at least 120 minutes of MVPA per day. Other recommendations on health behavior are derived from
broadening the widely accepted recommendations for school age youth of at least 60 minutes of MVPA per
day. BMI referenced standards expressed in step counts are 12000 for 6 year old girls and 15000 for 6 year old
boys (Tudor-Locke et al., 2004). This study focuses on the amount of daily PA among
preschoolers (age 4 to 6) during a rgular school day and on the relationship between preschooler s PA and the
development of their fundamental movement skills.
METHODS
Subjects for the present study were recruited through preschools in Flanders. Two schools were asked to and
agreed for participation in the study. 105 parents of 2nd and 3rd year preschoolers were invited to enroll their children
in the study by an information letter. Sixty parents (57%) provided informed consent. Before assessment,
oral consent was provided by all individual preschoolers. Step counts were assessed using the Yamax digiwalker
pedometer TYPE SW 200 (Yamax corp., Japan). Pedometer data were collected on three full school days. In
the present study step counts were registered in absolute count per school day. Movement skill development was
assessed using the MOT 4 6 assessment tool (Zimmer & Volkamer, 1987). The preschooler s weight was measured
using a digital balance, their length was measured using a standard measuring tape. All preschooler wore
light clothes without shoes. Data on movement skill development was collected in one test session of 15 to 20
minutes per preschooler. Data were analyzed using SPSS 15.0 for windows.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
Will be presented at the conference and included in the full paper.
REFERENCES
Gallahue, D., & Donnely, F. (2003). Developmental
physical education for all children. Champaign, IL:
Human Kinetics.
Haywood, K., & Getchell, N. (2005). Life span motor
development (4th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Zimmer, R., & Volkamer, M. (1987). Motoriktest für
vier-bis sechsjärige kinder (manual). Weinheim: Beltztest.
NASPE (2002). Active start: A statement of physical activity
guidelines for children birth to five years. Reston,
VA: National association for sport and physical education
publications.
Tudor-Locke et al. (2004). BMI referenced standards
for recommended pedometer determined steps/day
in children. Prev. Med. 38(5), 857 /864.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors wish to thank Astrid Loubry for her
contribution to the collection of the data.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the 5th International Conference Movement and Health 2007, CD-rom |
| Publisher | Palacky University |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Publication status | Published - 2007 |
| Event | Finds and Results from the Swedish Cyprus Expedition: A Gender Perspective at the Medelhavsmuseet - Stockholm, Sweden Duration: 21 Sep 2009 → 25 Sep 2009 |
Publication series
| Name | Movement and Health CD 2007 |
|---|
Conference
| Conference | Finds and Results from the Swedish Cyprus Expedition: A Gender Perspective at the Medelhavsmuseet |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Sweden |
| City | Stockholm |
| Period | 21/09/09 → 25/09/09 |
Keywords
- Movement skill assessment
- MOT 4-6
- early childhood