Bidirectional, prospective associations between physical activity, fundamental motor skills, and physical fitness in preschool children.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Evidence regarding longitudinal associations between physical activity (PA), fundamental motor skills, and physical fitness in young children is scarce and mixed. This study aimed to investigate bidirectional associations between intensity-specific PA and fundamental motor skills and physical fitness in 3-4-year-old preschoolers over 18 months.

Methods

We included 821 children (3.8 years, 53.5% boys) from the Active Learning Norwegian Preschool(er)s study who were measured at baseline and 18 months later. PA was measured with ActiGraph GT3X + accelerometers, fundamental motor skills were evaluated using 9 skills as indicators of locomotor skills, object control skills, and balance skills, and fitness was measured through tests of upper- and lower-body muscular str

SUBMITTER: Haugland ES 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12797888 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature