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Associations between sedentary behavior and motor coordination in children
Luís Lopes1, Rute Santos, Beatriz Pereira
1Department of Theoretical Education and Artistic and Physical Education, Research Centre on Child Studies (CIEC), Institute of Education, Minho University, Braga, Portugal. luis.iec.um@hotmail.com
Insights
High sedentary behavior (SB) negatively impacts motor coordination (MC) in children, even with adequate physical activity (PA). Reducing sedentary time is crucial for improving children's motor skills.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Motor Development
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Sedentary behavior (SB) is increasingly prevalent in children.
- The impact of SB on motor coordination (MC) requires further objective investigation.
- Understanding factors influencing MC is vital for child development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the relationship between objectively measured SB and MC in Portuguese children.
- To assess the influence of physical activity (PA), accelerometer wear time, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and maternal education on this relationship.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional school-based study of 213 children (9-10 years old).
- Objective measurement of PA and SB using accelerometers over five days.
- Motor coordination assessed via the Körperkoordination Test für Kinder.
- WHtR calculated from measured height and waist; maternal education assessed via questionnaire.
- Statistical analyses included Receiver-Operating Characteristic (ROC) and logistic regressions.
Main Results:
- Sedentary time significantly discriminated between children with low and high MC (P < 0.05).
- Lower sedentary groups demonstrated significantly higher odds of good MC compared to higher sedentary groups.
- These findings remained independent of PA, accelerometer wear time, WHtR, and maternal education level.
Conclusions:
- Objectively measured sedentary behavior, not just physical activity, significantly influences children's motor coordination.
- High levels of sedentary behavior may have deleterious effects on motor coordination that physical activity cannot fully mitigate.
- Discouraging sedentary behavior in children is essential for enhancing motor coordination.
Objectives:
This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between objectively measured sedentary behavior (SB) and motor coordination (MC) in Portuguese children, accounting for physical activity (PA), accelerometer wear time, waist-to-height ratio, and mother's education level.
Methods:
A cross-sectional school-based study was conducted on 213 children (110 girls and 103 boys) aged 9-10 in the north of Portugal during the spring of 2010. Accelerometers were used to obtain detailed objective information about daily PA and SB over five consecutive days. MC was measured with a body coordination test (Körperkoordination Test für Kinder). Waist and height were measured by standardized protocols and the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) was calculated. A questionnaire was used to assess mothers' educational levels. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) and logistic regressions were used.
Results:
ROC analysis showed that sedentary time significantly discriminated between children with low MC and high MC, with a best trade off between sensitivity and specificity being achieved at ≥77.29% and ≥76.48% for girls and boys, respectively (P < 0.05 for both). In both genders, the low sedentary group had significantly higher odds of having good MC than the higher sedentary group, independent of PA, accelerometer wear time, WHtR, and mother's education level (P < 0.05 for both).
Conclusions:
Our findings suggested that PA levels per se may not overcome the deleterious influence of high levels of SB on MC. Our data stress the importance of discouraging SB among children to improve MC.
