Palmer Kara K, Chinn Katherine M, Robinson Leah E
Child Movement, Activity, and Developmental Health Laboratory, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2214, USA.
Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2214, USA.
J Sport Health Sci. 2019 Mar;8(2):98-105. doi: 10.1016/j.jshs.2018.12.003. Epub 2018 Dec 30.
Physical activity (PA) and fundamental motor skills are important components of current and future trajectories of health in young children. This study examined the effects of a 5-week motor skill intervention on preschoolers' motor skill competence and their PA behaviors while participating in the motor skill intervention or outdoor free play (recess).
A total of 102 preschoolers served as participants and were part of a motor skill intervention group ( = 64) or a control/outdoor free play group ( = 38). Children's motor skills were assessed before and after the intervention using the Test of Gross Motor Development-3rd edition. PA during the motor skill intervention and outdoor free play was assessed using accelerometers both immediately before the start (baseline, Week 0 or Week 1) and end (late, Week 5 or Week 6) of the intervention.
All children significantly improved their motor skills from baseline to late assessment ( < 0.05). Children in the motor skill intervention demonstrated greater rates of change ( < 0.001) and scored higher on all motor skills at the late assessment compared with the control group ( < 0.001). There was no effect of group (control intervention), but there was a significant effect of sex on children's PA during outdoor free play at baseline ( < 0.05). Similarly, there was no effect of group on PA during days with the movement program (intervention outdoor free play) at either time point, but boys were more active than girls at the late assessment ( < 0.05). Last, children in the intervention engaged in more PA while participating in the intervention toward the end of the intervention than at the beginning.
The 5-week motor skill intervention was effective at improving preschoolers' motor skills and rates of change in motor skills were higher for children who completed the intervention compared with children in the control group. Preschoolers in the intervention did demonstrate PA changes while participating in the intervention, but these changes did not translate outside of the intervention setting.
身体活动（PA）和基本运动技能是幼儿当前及未来健康轨迹的重要组成部分。本研究考察了为期5周的运动技能干预对学龄前儿童运动技能能力的影响，以及他们在参与运动技能干预或户外自由活动（课间休息）时的身体活动行为。
共有102名学龄前儿童参与，他们被分为运动技能干预组（n = 64）或对照组/户外自由活动组（n = 38）。在干预前后，使用《粗大运动发展测试》第三版对儿童的运动技能进行评估。在运动技能干预和户外自由活动期间，分别在干预开始前（基线，第0周或第1周）和结束时（后期，第5周或第6周）使用加速度计评估身体活动情况。
从基线到后期评估，所有儿童的运动技能均有显著提高（P < 0.05）。与对照组相比，运动技能干预组的儿童变化率更高（P < 0.001），且在后期评估中所有运动技能得分更高（P < 0.001）。分组（对照组与干预组）对结果没有影响，但在基线时，性别对儿童户外自由活动期间的身体活动有显著影响（P < 0.05）。同样，在两个时间点，分组对有运动项目的日子（干预与户外自由活动）的身体活动均无影响，但在后期评估中男孩比女孩更活跃（P < 0.05）。最后，干预组的儿童在干预接近尾声时参与干预活动时的身体活动比开始时更多。
为期5周的运动技能干预有效地提高了学龄前儿童的运动技能，与对照组儿童相比，完成干预的儿童运动技能变化率更高。干预组的学龄前儿童在参与干预期间身体活动确实发生了变化，但这些变化并未延伸到干预环境之外。
