Abstract
Objective: We analyzed how early childhood physical activity (PA) and motor competence (MC) are related cross-sectionally and longitudinally.
Methods: The participants were 66 children who joined kindergarten from 2018 to 2020. They participated in this longitudinal survey for 3 years. PA and MC surveys were conducted. We assessed their moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) using an accelerometer. MC consisted of four events (25m run, standing long jump, ball throw, and ball catch). A path analysis using structural equation modeling was applied to analyze the association.
Results: Cross-sectionally, in the 2nd year of kindergarten (2nd), MVPA, and each MC were weakly-to-moderately correlated (r=-.637~.450). The 3rd year kindergarteners (3rd) showed a correlation (r=.294) for ball throw and catch but not for others. Longitudinally, in the 1st year of kindergarten (1st), MVPA had a moderate effect (β=.405) on the 2nd MVPA and a weak effect (β=.352) on the 3rd MVPA. The 2nd standing long jump had a weak effect (β=.317) on the 3rd MVPA. Each 2nd MC had a weak-to-moderate effect on each 3rd MC (β=-.280~.527).
Conclusion: In this study, 2nd PA and each MC were related. Only ball throw and catch were related in the 3rd. Furthermore, 1st PA influenced 2nd and 3rd PA. We inferred that MC indirectly influences PA by changing the content and quality of play. A step-by-step approach is needed to elucidate this relation further.
