Determination of the basic motor skills and its relationship to BMI and physical activity level in preschooler

Emrah Cerit, Kurtuluş Özlü, Gamze Deryahanoğlu, Tuğba Denizci, Faruk Yamaner, Havva Nur Peltek Kendirci and Çalık Veli Koçak

African Educational Research Journal
Published: August 11 2020
Volume 8, Special Issue 1
Pages S115-S123
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30918/AERJ.8S1.20.018

Abstract

It has been widely accepted that physical activity has a positive effect on and to contributes physical and mental health in every period of human life, especially on the development of children in early age. The basic movement skills acquired through education during this period will shape the necessary infrastructure of the child that will serve as the motor development for adulthood. Inappropriate basic movement skills in childhood results in sedentary life style which may increase the risk of certain health problems such as obesity. The aim of the study was to assess the basic motor skill development in preschool children and determine its relationship to BMI and physical activity level. A total of 1041 children (554 boys and 487 girls) aged between 4-6 years old were assessed for their basic motor skills, BMI and physical activity level. Basic motor skills were evaluated as locomotor and object oriented skills by using TGMD-2, whereas physical activity level was identified by scale. The classification for obesity was performed by using BMI which was calculated according to weight and height by using the method developed by Neyzi according to WHO. Descriptive statistic of categorical data was demonstrated as frequencies and percentages, whereas continuous variables were presented as mean ± standard deviation. Relationship was determined by using Pearson Correlation Coeeficient test at a significance level of α = .05. The mean BMI of 1041 children (with the mean age of 5.20 ± 0.45 (4-6) years) was determined as 15.70 ± 2.17 m2/kg and the BMI percentile was 48.28 ± 29.76. Only 78.5% of the children were classified as normal weight, whereas 8.3% of the children were obese, 7.3% of them were overweight and 6% of the children were underweight. Locomotor skill scores were higher compared to oriented control motor skills, 56.26 and 45.97% respectively. Pearson Correlation Coefficient test results showed that BMI in both normal and overweight groups were correlated significantly to locomotor skills and to object oriented skills, whereas obese and underweight groups did not show any significant correlation neither to locomotor, nor to object oriented skills. Physical activity level of the the children were lower than the expected values for all items in the scale, and frequency of running (55.2%) was determined to be the highest among all activities for 7 days. Considering TGMD-2 scores, physical activity levels and BMI of preschool children, it can be concluded that physical activity preferences of children play an important role in basic motor development and is related to BMI in preschool children aged between 4-6 years in both boys and girls. Thus basic motor skills should be constructed by planned activities involving all components of motor development which can not be obtained naturally by increasing only the physical activity level in early ages.

Keywords: Early childhood, BMI, obesity, TGMD-2, physical activity level.

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