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Differences in Weight Status and Autonomous Motivation towards Sports among Children with Various Profiles of Motor

Eline Coppens1,2, An De Meester3, Frederik J A Deconinck1

  • 1Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 6, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Promoting children's actual motor competence (AMC), perceived motor competence (PMC), and organized sports participation (OSP) together is key. This approach supports healthier weight status and increased autonomous motivation towards sports.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Sports Science
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Motor competence and sports participation are crucial for child development.
  • Understanding the interplay between motor skills, perceived abilities, and engagement in sports is essential for health outcomes.
  • Weight status and motivation are key indicators of physical activity and well-being in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify distinct profiles of children based on actual motor competence (AMC), perceived motor competence (PMC), and organized sports participation (OSP).
  • To investigate how these identified profiles relate to children's weight status and autonomous motivation in sports.
  • To provide insights into optimizing interventions for promoting physical health and sustained sports engagement in youth.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized cluster analysis to group 206 children (aged 10.83 ± 0.92 years) into profiles based on AMC, PMC, and OSP.
  • Assessed weight status and autonomous motivation towards sports using validated measurement tools.
  • Examined differences in weight status and motivation across the identified motor competence and sports participation profiles.

Main Results:

  • Identified three completely convergent and three partially convergent profiles based on AMC, PMC, and OSP.
  • Children with high levels of AMC, PMC, and OSP exhibited healthier weight status and higher autonomous motivation.
  • Low levels of AMC and PMC were associated with higher weight status, irrespective of OSP, highlighting their critical role.

Conclusions:

  • Simultaneous promotion of AMC, PMC, and OSP is vital for achieving optimal child health outcomes.
  • Interventions should focus on enhancing motor skills and fostering positive perceptions of ability to positively influence weight status.
  • Sustained engagement in organized sports is linked to better weight management and intrinsic motivation for physical activity.

Keywords:
BMIactual motor competencealigned assessment toolscluster analysescommunity sportsmotor developmentperceived motor competenceperson-centeredyouth

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