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Factors Associated with Motor Competence in Preschoolers from a Brazilian Urban Area
Juliana Nogueira Pontes Nobre1,2, Rosane Luzia De Souza Morais3, Ângela Alves Viegas1,2
1Centro Integrado de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa em Saúde (CIPq-Saúde), Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri (UFVJM), Diamantina, Minas Gerais Brazil.
Insights
Preschoolers with higher motor skills are physically active, eutrophic, and attend schools with parks. These factors correlate with better cognitive function and overall motor competence in urban Brazilian settings.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Motor Development
- Early Childhood Education
Background:
- Preschool is a critical developmental stage for acquiring motor skills.
- Motor competence significantly impacts overall child development and well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors associated with motor competence in Brazilian preschoolers.
- To analyze the relationship between physical activity, cognitive function, and motor skills in early childhood.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated 211 preschoolers using the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2).
- Assessed Body Mass Index (BMI), socioeconomic status, cognitive function (Mini-Mental Scale - MMC), and physical activity levels.
- Employed univariate and multiple linear regression analyses to determine significant predictors of motor competence.
Main Results:
- Body Mass Index (BMI), school park access, and Mini-Mental Scale (MMC) scores were associated with locomotor skills.
- MMC and gender were linked to object control skills.
- Higher Gross Motor Quotient scores correlated with MMC, BMI, and school park availability.
Conclusions:
- Physically active, eutrophic male preschoolers attending schools with parks demonstrate superior motor competence and cognitive function.
- Environmental factors, such as school green spaces, play a role in motor skill development.
- Cognitive function, BMI, and physical activity are key correlates of motor development in preschoolers.
Background:
Preschool is a crucial period for developing motor skills.
Objective:
This study evaluated factors associated with motor competence in preschoolers from a Brazilian urban area.
Methods:
A total of 211 preschoolers (51.2% girls and 48.8% boys) were evaluated. Body mass index was calculated; the Brazilian Economic Research Criterion, the Mini-Mental Scale (MMC) and the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale®, Revised (ECERS-R™) were applied; the Habitual Physical Activity time was recorded; the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2) was performed. Univariate analysis was performed using simple linear regression for the independent variables, considering the motor test subscales as dependent variables. Variables with p < 0.20 in the univariate analysis were considered for the multiple linear regression model and were entered into the stepwise method.
Results:
The independent variables remaining in the Standard Score Locomotor model were BMI, presence of park at school, and MMC (R2 = 0.16). The independent variables remaining in the Standard Object Control score were MMC and gender (R2 = 0.03). The variables associated with the highest scores of Gross Motor Quotient were MMC, body mass index, and presence of a park at school, respectively (R2 = 0.11).
Conclusion:
Male eutrophic preschoolers who are physically active and attend schools with parks or courtyards in a Brazilian urban area have the highest scores for global cognitive function and motor competence.
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