Wick Kristin, Kriemler Susi, Granacher Urs
University of Applied Sciences for Sports and Management Potsdam, Am Luftschiffhafen 1, 14471, Potsdam, Germany.
Division of Training and Movement Sciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2022 May 1;14(1):80. doi: 10.1186/s13102-022-00470-w.
Given that recent studies report negative secular declines in physical fitness, associations between fitness and cognition in childhood are strongly discussed. The preschool age is characterized by high neuroplasticity which effects motor skill learning, physical fitness, and cognitive development. The aim of this study was to assess the relation of physical fitness and attention (including its individual dimensions (quantitative, qualitative)) as one domain of cognitive performance in preschool children. We hypothesized that fitness components which need precise coordination compared to simple fitness components are stronger related to attention.
Physical fitness components like static balance (i.e., single-leg stance), muscle strength (i.e., handgrip strength), muscle power (i.e., standing long jump), and coordination (i.e., hopping on one leg) were assessed in 61 healthy children (mean age 4.5 ± 0.6 years; girls n = 30). Attention was measured with the "Konzentrations-Handlungsverfahren für Vorschulkinder" [concentration-action procedure for preschoolers]). Analyses were adjusted for age, body height, and body mass.
Results from single linear regression analysis revealed a significant (p < 0.05) association between physical fitness (composite score) and attention (composite score) (standardized ß = 0.40), showing a small to medium effect (F = 0.14). Further, coordination had a significant relation with the composite score and the quantitative dimension of attention (standardized ß = 0.35; p < 0.01; standardized ß = - 0.33; p < 0.05). Coordination explained about 11% (composite score) and 9% (quantitative dimension) of the variance in the stepwise multiple regression model.
The results indicate that performance in physical fitness, particularly coordination, is related to attention in preschool children. Thus, high performance in complex fitness components (i.e., hopping on one leg) tends to predict attention in preschool children. Further longitudinal studies should focus on the effectiveness of physical activity programs implementing coordination and complex exercises at preschool age to examine cause-effect relationships between physical fitness and attention precisely.
鉴于近期研究报告了体能的长期负面下降情况，儿童体能与认知之间的关联受到了广泛讨论。学龄前儿童的特点是神经可塑性高，这会影响运动技能学习、体能和认知发展。本研究的目的是评估体能与注意力（包括其个体维度（数量、质量））之间的关系，注意力是学龄前儿童认知表现的一个领域。我们假设，与简单的体能成分相比，需要精确协调的体能成分与注意力的相关性更强。
对61名健康儿童（平均年龄4.5±0.6岁；女孩n = 30）进行了体能成分评估，如静态平衡（即单腿站立）、肌肉力量（即握力）、肌肉功率（即立定跳远）和协调性（即单腿跳跃）。注意力通过“学龄前儿童注意力 - 行动程序”进行测量。分析对年龄、身高和体重进行了校正。
单线性回归分析结果显示，体能（综合得分）与注意力（综合得分）之间存在显著（p < 0.05）关联（标准化β = 0.40），显示出小到中等的效应（F = 0.14）。此外，协调性与综合得分和注意力的数量维度存在显著关系（标准化β = 0.35；p < 0.01；标准化β = - 0.33；p < 0.05）。在逐步多元回归模型中，协调性解释了约11%（综合得分）和9%（数量维度）的方差。
结果表明，体能表现，特别是协调性，与学龄前儿童的注意力有关。因此，复杂体能成分（即单腿跳跃）的高表现往往能预测学龄前儿童的注意力。进一步的纵向研究应关注在学龄前实施协调性和复杂运动的体育活动计划的有效性，以精确检验体能与注意力之间的因果关系。
