Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: To describe the demographic and health-related characteristics of
school-aged children with low competency in fundamental movement skills
(FMS).
METHODS: Cross-sectional representative school-based survey of Australian
elementary and high school students (n = 6917) conducted in 2010. Trained
field staff measured students’ height, weight, and assessed FMS and
cardiorespiratory endurance (fitness). Information on students’ demographics
and physical activity was collected by questionnaire.
RESULTS: Overall, the prevalence of students with low motor skill competency
was high. Girls with low socioeconomic status (SES) were twice as likely to be
less competent in locomotor skills compared with high SES peers. Among
boys, there was a strong association between low competency in FMS and the
likelihood of being from non–English-speaking cultural backgrounds. There
was a clear and consistent association between low competency in FMS and
inadequate cardiorespiratory fitness. For boys, there was a clear association
between low competency in object-control skills and not meeting physical
activity recommendations. Conversely, the odds of being inactive were double
among girls who had low competency in locomotor skills.
CONCLUSIONS: Low competency in FMS is strongly associated with lower
cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity levels in children and
adolescents. The characteristics of students with competency in FMS differ by
gender and skills types and show that interventions need to target girls from
low SES backgrounds and boys from non–English-speaking cultural
backgrounds. The high prevalence of low competency in FMS among Grade 4
students indicates that FMS interventions need to start during the preschool
and early school years.