Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia.
Active Living Laboratory, School for Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Sep 11;17(18):6609. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17186609.
(1) Background: Regular physical activity (PA) plays an important role during early childhood physical and psychological development. This study investigates the effects of a 9-month PA intervention on physiological characteristics and motor and cognitive skills in preschool children. (2) Methods: Preschool children ( = 132; age 4 to 7 years) attending regular preschool programs were nonrandomly assigned to PA intervention ( = 66; 60 min sessions twice per week) or a control group ( = 66; no additional organized PA program) for 9 months. Exercise training for the intervention group included various sports games, outdoor activities, martial arts, yoga, and dance. Anthropometry, motor skills (7 tests), and cognitive skills (Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices and Cognitive Assessment System) were assessed before and after an intervention period in both groups. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. (3) Results: Body weight significantly increased in both groups over time. Compared to the changes observed in the control group, the intervention group significantly increased in chest circumference ( = 0.022). In contrast, the control group demonstrated an increase in waist circumference ( = 0.001), while these measures in the intervention group remained stable. Participants in the intervention group improved running speed ( = 0.016) and standing broad jump ( = 0.000). The flexibility level was maintained in the intervention group, while a significant decrease was observed in the control group ( = 0.010). Children from the intervention group demonstrated progress in the bent-arm hang test ( = 0.001), unlike the control group subjects. Varied improvements in cognitive skills were observed for different variables in both intervention and control groups, with no robust evidence for PA-intervention-related improvements. (4) Conclusions: Preschool children's participation in a preschool PA intervention improves their motor skills.
（1）背景：定期进行身体活动（PA）对儿童早期的生理和心理发展起着重要作用。本研究调查了为期 9 个月的 PA 干预对学龄前儿童生理特征、运动和认知技能的影响。
（2）方法：参加常规幼儿园项目的学龄前儿童（n=132；年龄 4 至 7 岁）被非随机分配到 PA 干预组（n=66；每周两次，每次 60 分钟）或对照组（n=66；无额外的组织性 PA 项目），进行 9 个月的干预。干预组的运动训练包括各种体育游戏、户外活动、武术、瑜伽和舞蹈。在干预前后，对两组的人体测量学、运动技能（7 项测试）和认知技能（瑞文彩色渐进矩阵和认知评估系统）进行评估。数据采用重复测量方差分析进行分析。
（3）结果：两组的体重均随时间推移而增加。与对照组观察到的变化相比，干预组的胸围显著增加（=0.022）。相比之下，对照组的腰围增加（=0.001），而干预组的这些指标保持稳定。干预组的跑步速度（=0.016）和站立跳远（=0.000）均有所提高。干预组的灵活性水平保持不变，而对照组则显著下降（=0.010）。干预组的屈臂悬垂测试（=0.001）有所提高，而对照组的测试结果则无明显变化。在干预组和对照组中，不同变量的认知技能都有不同程度的提高，但没有强有力的证据表明与 PA 干预相关的提高。
（4）结论：学龄前儿童参加幼儿园 PA 干预可以提高其运动技能。
