Prevalence of fundamental movement skill proficiency among Iranian children aged 2.5-14 years

To determine the prevalence of fundamental movement skill (FMS) proficiency among a sample of Iranian children.

Cross sectional, representative sample of 2200 children aged 2.5-14 years (50% girls), living in Tehran in 2018.

Trained field staff assessed 7 locomotor and 4 object control skills in educational settings using the Ohio State University Scale of Intra-Gross Motor Assessment (OSU-SIGMA). Scores for levels 1-3 represent immature performance and level 4 represents proficiency. Data were analyzed by age and sex.

Overall, proficiency prevalences were higher in boys than girls. Proficiency in walking and running emerged in children from age 2.5 years, and proficiency in more complex locomotor skills (i.e., jumping, skipping, hopping, ladder-climbing) and object control skills emerged at age 6 years. The prevalence of proficiency in hopping, jumping, skipping and all object control skills were low in children aged <9 years. All children aged ≥9 years were proficient in all locomotor skills. At age 9 years, the prevalence of object control proficiency were high for throwing (boys 100%, girls 89%), catching (boys 89%, girls 65%), striking (boys 69%, girls 53%) and low for kicking (boys 45%, girls 41%). All children ≥11 years were proficient in all FMS except kicking (boys 61%, girls 55%).

FMS proficiency were age and sex related with proficiency in most skills emerging around age 6 years. All children aged ≥11 years were proficient in all FMS, except kicking. The findings may be useful to guide the development of intervention programs in Iranian children aged 2.5-10 years.