Evaluación de los dominios de la actividad física y los componentes de la condición física en niños de 4-5 años en un centro de salud / Assessment of physical activity domains and physical fitness components in 4-5 year old children in a health centre

Introducción: la falta de actividad física y el sedentarismo en niños se asocia con una mayor adiposidad, bajo nivel de aptitud cardiovascular y riesgo de enfermedades cardiovasculares. Sin embargo, cumplir con las recomendaciones de actividad física se relaciona con mejoras en la salud mental, disminución de la ansiedad y depresión, así como adopción de hábitos saludables. Objetivos: evaluar la relación entre los diferentes dominios de la actividad física y del sedentarismo, medidos de forma objetiva, y los componentes de la condición física en niños españoles de 4 y 5 años. Población y métodos: estudio transversal dentro del proyecto “Observatorio y programa de intervención de ejercicio físico y estilos de vida en familia para niños y niñas de 4 a 5 años en Atención Primaria” (https://observatorioactividadfisica.es). La condición física se evaluó con la batería PREFIT y la cantidad e intensidad de actividad física mediante un acelerómetro tri-axial GENEActiv durante 7 días consecutivos las 24 horas del día. Resultados: la muestra evaluada fue de 70 niños (38 niños y 32 niñas) con una media (intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95%) de 4,83 años. No se observaron diferencias significativas en la condición física entre niños y niñas. Los niños realizaron una actividad física de mayor intensidad y tiempo que las niñas. Además, se encontró una fuerte relación significativa entre los componentes de la condición física y los dominios de la actividad física. Conclusiones: estos hallazgos resaltan la importancia de promover estilos de vida activos desde temprana edad y la necesidad de programas de entrenamiento estructurado para reducir el sedentarismo y mejorar la condición física en esta población (AU)

Introduction: lack of physical activity and sedentary lifestyles in children are associated with increased adiposity, low cardiovascular fitness, and risk of cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, adherence to physical activity recommendations is associated with improvements in mental health, decreased anxiety and depression, and healthier habits.Objectives: to assess the relationship between different domains of physical activity and sedentary behaviour, measured objectively, and components of physical fitness in Spanish children aged 4 and 5 years.Population and methods: cross-sectional study within the project “Observatory and intervention programme on physical exercise and lifestyles in families for children aged 4 to 5 years in primary care” (https://observatorioactividadfisica.es). Physical fitness was assessed with the PREFIT battery. To measure the amount and intensity of physical activity, participants wore a GENEActiv triaxial accelerometer on the non-dominant hand for 7 consecutive days, 24 hours a day.Results: the study sample included 70 children (38 boys and 32 girls) with a mean age of 4.83 years (95% confidence interval [CI]). There were no significant differences in physical fitness between boys and girls, but we found differences in physical activity. Boys were physically active for longer durations and with higher intensity than girls. We also found a significant and strong association between the components of physical fitness and physical activity domains in children aged 4 and 5 years.Conclusions: these findings highlight the importance of promoting active lifestyles from an early age and the need for structured training programs to reduce sedentary behaviour and improve physical fitness in this population. (AU)

Associations between basic motor competencies and physical fitness in Spanish pre-schoolers: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Basic motor competencies (BMC) play a vital role in child development and are a primary focus of physical education. However, there is a lack of research on BMC in preschool-aged children, making this study particularly significant. The present study aims to examine the relationship between BMC and physical fitness components in Spanish preschool children. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 101 children (n = 52 boys, average age of 4.80 years) living in Pamplona, North Spain. Components of physical fitness (handgrip strength, standing long jump, speed-agility, and cardiorespiratory fitness) were assessed using the PREFIT Battery. Overall physical fitness was computed from the four selected fitness components separately for boys and girls. Higher z-scores values in physical fitness indicate better fitness performance. To assess BMC, the MOBAK KG test battery was applied (subscales of object control and self-movement). Sex, age, and body mass index were used as main confounders. RESULTS: After adjustment for confounding factors, the BMC was positively associated with single (z-scores) components and overall physical fitness sum of z-scores (R2 from 0.178 to 0.469, all P-values < 0.05). Additional percentile scores weakened the associations, but they still remained significant (R2 from 0.146 to 0.337, all P-values < 0.05). Compared with participants in the lowest tertile, those in the highest tertile of the MOBAK KG sum score, and in both object movement and self-movement test subscales had significantly higher scores in single fitness component (z-scores or percentile) and overall physical fitness sum of z-scores (all P for trend < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results revealed that higher BMC is associated with better physical fitness in Spanish preschool children. The findings emphasize the crucial role that basic motor competence plays in promoting physical activity in preschool children.

Gamified family-based health exercise intervention to improve adherence to 24-h movement behaviors recommendations in children: "3, 2, 1 Move on Study".

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that movement patterns, including physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep duration, throughout a 24-h period, have a significant impact on biological processes and health outcomes for both young and adult populations. However, 80% of adolescents worldwide are not sufficiently active, and many children do not meet international physical activity recommendations for their age. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of a 12-week gamified family-based health and exercise intervention on physical fitness, basic motor competencies, mental and behavioral health, and adherence to 24-h movement guidelines in children aged 4 to 5 years old. The study will evaluate changes in sedentary levels, physical fitness, basic motor competencies, mental and behavioral disorders, adherence to the exercise program, and compliance with physical activity recommendations. In addition, the aim of this protocol is to describe the scientific rationale in detail and to provide information about the study procedures. METHODS/DESIGN: A total of 80 children, aged 4 to 5 years old, will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to one of two groups: the exercise group and the routine care group. The exercise group will undergo a 12-week exercise intervention, followed by a 12-week follow-up period. On the other hand, the routine care group will undergo a 12-week period of routine care, followed by a 12-week follow-up control period. The exercise program will be implemented in a family setting and facilitated through a gamified web platform with online supervision, with the hypothesis that it will have a positive impact on physical fitness, anthropometric measures, basic motor competencies, and adherence to 24-h movement guidelines. DISCUSSION: The results of this study will provide valuable insights into the impact of a gamified, family-oriented health and exercise program on various aspects of health, including physical fitness, basic motor competencies, mental and behavioral well-being, and adherence to 24-h movement guidelines. The findings will contribute to closing the gap in current knowledge on the effectiveness of these types of interventions for children and their parents. These findings will also contribute to  the development of future guidelines for promoting physical activity in children who do not meet the World Health Organization's recommended levels. An online "3, 2, 1 Move on Study" is believed to increase accessibility, promoting health equity, and reducing economic barriers for all children and their families across diverse social groups. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration: NCT05741879 . Registered February 14, 2023, Version 1.