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Health-Related Motor Testing of Children in Primary School: A Systematic Review of Criterion-Referenced Standards
Paulina Köster1, Andreas Hohmann1, Claudia Niessner2
1Institute of Sport Science, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany.
Insights
Monitoring physical fitness in children is crucial for disease prevention. This review highlights the need for standardized, health-related criterion-referenced standards and cut-off points for motor tests.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Exercise Science
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Childhood physical fitness and motor competence are vital for long-term health and disease prevention.
- Current methods for assessing physical fitness and motor competence in children lack standardized health-related criterion-referenced standards.
- Identifying health-related risks early through motor testing is essential for intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify existing health-related criterion-referenced standards and cut-off points for physical fitness and motor competence tests.
- To establish the methodological framework for setting these health-related standards.
- To provide implications for developing a comprehensive health-related evaluation system for motor tests.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, SURF) adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
- Analysis of 2062 records, including six empirical studies and 30 methodological papers.
- Utilized receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curves for determining cut-off points due to data scarcity.
Main Results:
- Limited empirical studies reported cut-off points for motor test items in children aged 7-10 years.
- Health-related motor test standards should be gender- and age-specific, referencing absolute cut-off points.
- ROC curves are a valuable tool for establishing criterion-referenced standards in the absence of extensive data.
Conclusions:
- A standardized, globally applicable approach is needed for evaluating health-related fitness tests.
- Development of robust, criterion-referenced standards is crucial for accurate assessment of children's physical fitness and motor competence.
- This systematic review provides a foundation for creating a standardized health-related evaluation system for motor tests.
Abstract:
Being physically fit in younger years prevents several diseases in the presence as well as in the life course. Therefore, monitoring physical fitness and motor competence through motor testing is essential for determining developmental status and identifying health-related risks. The main objectives of this systematic review were (1) to identify currently available health-related criterion-referenced standards and cut-off points for physical fitness and motor competence test items, (2) to frame the methodological background on setting health-related criterion-referenced standards and (3) to give implications for a health-related evaluation system for physical fitness and motor competence tests. The electronic data base search (PubMed, Web of Science and SURF) yielded 2062 records in total and identified six empirical studies reporting cut-off points of motor test items for children (7-10 years), as well as 30 methodological papers discussing determination approaches to health-related criterion-referenced standards. Data collection, selection and analyses followed the PRISMA guidelines. Health-related motor test standards need to be gender- and age-specific but should refer to an absolute cut-off point rather than to relative performance in the reference group. Due to the lack of data on health-related criterion referenced standards, receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curves provide a tool for the determination of cut-off points and criterion referenced standards for physical fitness and motor competence tests. A standardized approach forms the fundamental base for a globally applicable evaluation of health-related fitness tests.
