Institute of Sports Sciences and Physiotherapy, University of Tartu, 51005 Tartu, Estonia.
Tartu Healthcare College, 50411 Tartu, Estonia.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jul 16;18(14):7576. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18147576.
Little is known about the longitudinal trajectories and associations regarding physical activity (PA), physical fitness (PF), and cognitive skills in childhood. Accelerometer-based PA, sedentary behavior (SB), PF, and cognitive skills were measured in Estonian children ( = 147) in kindergarten (6.6 years) and again at school (7.6 years). Children were subgrouped into lower and upper quartiles by their moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) at 6.6 years. Children in the upper quartile had lower SB, higher PA, and greater muscular strength. Attending school, MVPA in the lower quartile improved. In both subgroups, most strength values and cognitive skills improved, while balance deteriorated in first grade. In the upper quartile, a greater MPA at 6.6 years predicted lower perceptual skills at 7.6 years. A greater SB at 6.6 years predicted higher verbal skills, light and moderate PA and MVPA, and lower verbal skills at 7.6 years after taking into account confounding factors such as the child's sex, age, awake wear time (AWT), maternal education, and/or child's sports participation. A vigorous PA at 6.6 years predicted perceptual (in upper quartile) or verbal (in lower quartile) skills at 7.6 years after controlling for similar confounders. No correlation for PF at 6.6 years and cognitive skills at 7.6 years existed; after adjusting for the above-mentioned confounders relative to upper/lower-limb strength, the 4 × 10 m shuttle run results predicted higher perceptual or verbal skills; static balance and cardiorespiratory fitness predicted lower verbal skills. Cardiorespiratory fitness predicted higher perceptual skills after controlling for sex, age, and AWT. Overall, PA and strength were constantly better and SB lower in the upper quartile, yet the lower quartile demonstrated improved MVPA in first grade, and both subgroups increased most components of their strength and cognitive skills in first grade. Higher levels of VPA at kindergarten predicted either better perceptual or verbal skills in first grade after controlling for confounders; the opposite associations were found for other PA levels and cognitive skills in the higher quartile. PF components at kindergarten predicted either superior or inferior cognitive skills in first grade after adjusting for confounders.
关于儿童时期身体活动（PA）、身体机能（PF）和认知技能的纵向轨迹和关联，我们知之甚少。在爱沙尼亚儿童（n=147）幼儿园（6.6 岁）和学校（7.6 岁）时，使用基于加速度计的 PA、久坐行为（SB）、PF 和认知技能进行了测量。根据 6.6 岁时的中高强度 PA（MVPA），将儿童分为低四分位数和高四分位数组。处于高四分位组的儿童 SB 较低，PA 较高，肌肉力量更大。进入学校后，低四分位数组的 MVPA 增加。在这两个亚组中，大多数力量值和认知技能都有所提高，而平衡能力在一年级时则有所下降。在高四分位数组中，6.6 岁时的更大 MPA 预测 7.6 岁时的较低知觉技能。6.6 岁时更大的 SB 预测 7.6 岁时更高的言语技能、轻中度 PA 和 MVPA 以及更低的言语技能，这是在考虑到儿童性别、年龄、清醒佩戴时间（AWT）、母亲教育程度和/或儿童运动参与等混杂因素后得出的结果。6.6 岁时的剧烈 PA 预测了 7.6 岁时的知觉技能（在高四分位数组中）或言语技能（在低四分位数组中），这是在控制了类似混杂因素后的结果。PF 与 7.6 岁时的认知技能之间不存在相关性；在调整了与上下肢力量有关的上述混杂因素后，4×10m 穿梭跑结果预测了更高的知觉或言语技能；静态平衡和心肺适能预测了更低的言语技能。在控制了性别、年龄和 AWT 后，心肺适能预测了更高的知觉技能。总体而言，高四分位数组的 PA 和力量持续更好，SB 更低，但低四分位数组在一年级时 MVPA 增加，两个亚组在一年级时都增加了大多数力量和认知技能。在控制了混杂因素后，幼儿园时更高水平的 VPA 预测了一年级时更好的知觉或言语技能；而对于其他 PA 水平和高四分位数组的认知技能，则出现了相反的关联。在调整了混杂因素后，幼儿园时的 PF 成分预测了一年级时更好或更差的认知技能。
