Effectiveness of Multisport Play-Based Practice on Motor Coordination in Children: A Cross-Sectional Study Using the...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric exercise science
• Child development
• Sports science

Background:

• Motor coordination is crucial for children's physical and cognitive development.
• Structured physical activity programs can positively impact motor skill acquisition.
• Obesity, indicated by higher BMI, is a growing concern affecting child health and development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a structured multisport play-based program on motor coordination in Italian children aged 6-10.
• To compare motor coordination outcomes between children in a multisport group and a standard physical education group.
• To investigate the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and motor coordination in the study population.

Main Methods:

• Observational cross-sectional study with 320 children (6-10 years) from Southern Italy.
• Participants were divided into a Multisport Group (MG) and a Curricular Group (CG).
• Motor coordination was assessed using the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK), yielding a Motor Quotient (MQ); anthropometric measurements (BMI) were also taken.

Main Results:

• The Multisport Group (MG) demonstrated significantly higher Motor Quotient (MQ) scores than the Curricular Group (CG) (p < 0.001).
• Elevated BMI was significantly associated with an increased risk of lower MQ scores (OR = 2.35, p < 0.001).
• Strong positive correlations were observed between all KTK subtests and the total MQ score.

Conclusions:

• Structured multisport programs effectively enhance motor coordination in children.
• These programs offer a valuable strategy for physical education and public health interventions.
• Addressing elevated BMI through physical activity may be key to preventing impaired motor coordination.