Original article
Childhood Motor Skill Proficiency as a Predictor of Adolescent Physical Activity

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.07.004Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose

Cross-sectional evidence has demonstrated the importance of motor skill proficiency to physical activity participation, but it is unknown whether skill proficiency predicts subsequent physical activity.

Methods

In 2000, children's proficiency in object control (kick, catch, throw) and locomotor (hop, side gallop, vertical jump) skills were assessed in a school intervention. In 2006/07, the physical activity of former participants was assessed using the Australian Physical Activity Recall Questionnaire. Linear regressions examined relationships between the reported time adolescents spent participating in moderate-to-vigorous or organized physical activity and their childhood skill proficiency, controlling for gender and school grade. A logistic regression examined the probability of participating in vigorous activity.

Results

Of 481 original participants located, 297 (62%) consented and 276 (57%) were surveyed. All were in secondary school with females comprising 52% (144). Adolescent time in moderate-to-vigorous and organized activity was positively associated with childhood object control proficiency. Respective models accounted for 12.7% (p = .001), and 18.2% of the variation (p = .003). Object control proficient children became adolescents with a 10% to 20% higher chance of vigorous activity participation.

Conclusions

Object control proficient children were more likely to become active adolescents. Motor skill development should be a key strategy in childhood interventions aiming to promote long-term physical activity.

Section snippets

Sample selection

In 2000, 1045 children from 18 randomly selected and stratified primary (elementary) schools in an area comprising 24,555 sq kilometers in New South Wales, Australia, had their proficiency in a battery of motor skills assessed for a school-based physical activity intervention [18]. The initial mean age of the sample was 10.1 (range = 7.9–11.9 years). Of these students, 1021 had first and last initials noted on their motor skill assessments. In 2006/07, the list of original study participants

Sample

Slightly more than half the sample were female (52.2%, n = 144/276). Most were in grade 10 in 2006/07 (57.8%, n = 159/275). The mean age at follow-up was 16.4 (range = 14.2 to 18.3 years). All but one spoke English at home and 7.0% of the sample identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (n = 19/271). Using home postcode of residence as a proxy for socioeconomic advantage/disadvantage as defined in the Australian Bureau of Statistics Index of Disadvantage, nearly the entire sample was

Discussion

This is one of few studies to longitudinally examine the relationship between childhood motor skill proficiency and adolescent physical activity. We found that fundamental motor skill proficiency in elementary school, particularly object control proficiency, predicted adolescent physical activity behavior. In particular, childhood object control proficiency predicted subsequent time spent in both moderate-to-vigorous activity and organized activity. Also, childhood object control proficiency

Conclusions

This study found that skill proficiency developed in primary school years significantly impacts on later physical activity. Object control skills, rather than locomotor, appear to be more crucial to total activity time, activity of a higher intensity and also to type of activity undertaken in adolescence. Further research would be beneficial to help determine the relative importance of object control and locomotor proficiency to physical activity. Study strengths include a good sample size and

Acknowledgments

Lisa Barnett contributed to study design, study coordination, analysis, and writing. Eric van Beurden contributed to study design, analysis, and writing. Philip Morgan contributed to study design, analysis, and writing. Lyndon Brooks contributed to analysis and writing. John Beard contributed to study design, analysis, and writing. The study was funded by NSW Health, Australia, and the University of Sydney, Department of Rural Health (Northern Rivers), Australia. Thanks to Dr Michael Booth for

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