Query: physical activity level and motor competency

title: Profiling Movement and Gait Quality Characteristics in Pre School Children
abstract: There is a dearth of suitable metrics capable of objectively quantifying motor competence. Further, objective movement quality characteristics during free play have not been investigated in pre school children. The aims of this study were to characterize children's free play physical activity and investigate how gait quality characteristics cluster with free play in pre school children (3 5 years old) Sixty one children (39 boys; 4.3 0.7 years, 1.04 0.05 m, 17.8 3.2 kg) completed the movement assessment battery for children and took part in free play while wearing an ankle and hip mounted accelerometer. Characteristics of movement quality were profiled using a clustering algorithm. Spearman's rho and the Mann Whitney U tests were used to assess relationships between movement quality characteristics and motor competence classification differences in integrated acceleration and spectral purity, respectively. Significant differences were found between motor competency classifications for spectral purity and integrated acceleration (p .001) Spectral purity was hierarchically clustered with motor competence and integrated acceleration. Significant positive correlations were found between spectral purity, integrated acceleration and motor competence (p .001) This is the first study to report spectral purity in pre school children and the results suggest that the underlying frequency component of movement is clustered with motor competence.

title: Twelve weeks of dance exergaming in overweight and obese adolescent girls: Transfer effects on physical activity, screen time, and self efficacy
abstract: Given the low levels of physical activity (PA) among adolescent girls in the US, there is a need to identify tools to motivate increased PA. Although there is limited evidence that adolescents transfer PA from one context to another, exergames (i.e. video games that require gross motor activity) may act as a gateway to promote overall PA outside game play. The purpose of this study was to examine potential transfer effects (i.e. influences on external behaviors and psychological constructs) of a 12 week exergaming intervention on adolescent girls' PA, screen time, and self efficacy toward PA, as well as the intrinsic motivation of exergaming.  Participants were 37 girls aged 14 18 years (65% African American, 35% white) who were overweight or obese (body mass index 85th percentile) and were recruited from the community via school, physicians, news media, and social media websites. Adolescents were randomly assigned to a 12 week group exergaming intervention (thirty six 60 min sessions of group based dance exergaming in a research laboratory using Kinect for Xbox 360 (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA) or to a no treatment control group. Outcome variables included objectively measured PA (total) and self reported leisure time PA (discretionary time only) 1 week before vs. 1 week after the intervention; selected type and intensity of PA when placed in a gym setting for 30 min "cardio free choice" screen time; self efficacy toward PA; and intrinsic motivation toward exergaming.  Attendance at the exergaming sessions was high (80% Compared with the control group, the intervention group self reported an increase in PA (p 0.035) and fewer hours watching television or videos (p 0.01) after the intervention, but there were no significant differences in sedentary, light, moderate, or vigorous PA measured by accelerometry. The intervention group significantly improved self efficacy toward PA (p 0.028) The intervention group highly rated intrinsic motivation toward exergaming.  Exergaming for 12 weeks was associated with positive impacts on adolescent girls' self reported PA, television viewing, self efficacy, and intrinsic motivation. Future research is warranted to leverage exergames as an enjoyable, motivating, and effective PA tool.

title: Multivariate Associations Among Health Related Fitness, Physical Activity, and TGMD 3 Test Items in Disadvantaged Children From Low Income Families
abstract: Motor skills are needed for physical development and may be linked to health related fitness and physical activity levels. No studies have examined the relationships among these constructs in large samples of disadvantaged children from low income families using the Test for Gross Motor Development 3rd Edition (TGMD 3) The purpose of this study was to examine the multivariate associations among health related fitness, physical activity, and motor skills assessed using the TGMD 3. Participants included 1460 school aged children (730 boys, 730 girls; M age 8.4 years, SD 1.8 years) recruited from the K to sixth grades from three low income schools. Health related fitness was assessed using the FITNESSGRAM battery, physical activity was assessed using accelerometers and pedometers, and motor skills were assessed using the TGMD 3. Canonical correlations revealed statistically significant correlations between the Ball Skills and health related fitness variates (Rc 0.43, Rc2 17% p 0.001) Significant canonical coefficients in the Ball Skills variate included two handed striking, dribbling, and catching, and significant canonical coefficients in the health related fitness variate included body mass index and the progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run (p 0.01) Locomotor skills did not significantly correlate with health related fitness or physical activity. Ball skills are related to health related fitness in disadvantaged children from low income families.

title: Executive Functions Do Not Mediate Prospective Relations between Indices of Physical Activity and Academic Performance: The Active Smarter Kids (ASK) Study
abstract: Changes in cognitive function induced by physical activity have been proposed as a mechanism for the link between physical activity and academic performance. The aim of this study was to investigate if executive function mediated the prospective relations between indices of physical activity and academic performance in a sample of 10 year old Norwegian children. The study included 1,129 children participating in the Active Smarter Kids (ASK) trial, followed over 7 months. Structural equation modeling (SEM) with a latent variable of executive function (measuring inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) was used in the analyses. Predictors were objectively measured physical activity, time spent sedentary, aerobic fitness, and motor skills. Outcomes were performance on national tests of numeracy, reading, and English (as a second language) Generally, indices of physical activity did not predict executive function and academic performance. A modest mediation effect of executive function was observed for the relation between motor skills and academic performance.

title: Pragmatic evaluation of the Go2Play Active Play intervention on physical activity and fundamental movement skills in children
abstract: Active play is a novel approach to addressing low physical activity levels and fundamental movement skills (FMS) in children. This study aimed to determine if a new school based, 'Go2Play Active Play' intervention improved school day physical activity and FMS. This was a pragmatic evaluation conducted in Scotland during 2015 16. Participants (n 172; mean age 7 years) were recruited from seven primary schools taking part in the 5 month intervention, plus 24 participants not receiving the intervention were recruited to act as a comparison group.189 participants had physical activity measured using an Actigraph GT3X accelerometer at baseline and again at follow up 5 months later. A sub sample of participants from the intervention (n 102) and comparison (n 21) groups had their FMS assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD 2) at baseline and follow up. Changes in school day physical activity and FMS variables were examined using repeated measures ANOVA. The main effect was 'group' on 'time' from baseline to follow up. Results indicated there was a significant interaction for mean counts per minute and percent time in sedentary behavior, light intensity physical activity and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (all p 0.01) for school day physical activity. There was a significant interaction for gross motor quotient (GMQ) score (p 0.02) and percentile (p 0.04) locomotor skills score and percentile (both p 0.02) but no significant interaction for object control skills score (p 0.1) and percentile (p 0.3) The Go2Play Active Play intervention may be a promising way of improving physical activity and FMS but this needs to be confirmed in an RCT.

title: Physical Activity Self Management and Coaching Compared to Social Interaction in Huntington Disease: Results From the ENGAGE HD Randomized, Controlled Pilot Feasibility Trial
abstract: Self management and self efficacy for physical activity is not routinely considered in neurologic rehabilitation.  This study assessed feasibility and outcomes of a 14 week physical activity self management and coaching intervention compared with social contact in Huntington disease (HD) to inform the design of a future full scale trial. Design. Assessor blind, multisite, randomized pilot feasibility trial.  Participants were recruited and assessed at baseline, 16 weeks following randomization, and then again at 26 weeks in HD specialist clinics with intervention delivery by trained coaches in the participants' homes.  People with HD were allocated to the ENGAGE HD physical activity coaching intervention or a social interaction intervention.  Eligibility, recruitment, retention, and intervention participation were determined at 16 weeks. Other outcomes of interest included measures of mobility, self efficacy, physical activity, and disease specific measures of motor and cognition. Fidelity and costs for both the physical activity and social comparator interventions were established.  Forty percent (n 46) of eligible patients were enrolled; 22 were randomized to the physical intervention and 24 to social intervention. Retention rates in the physical intervention and social intervention were 77% and 92% respectively. Minimum participation criteria were achieved by 82% of participants in the physical intervention and 100% in the social intervention. There was no indication of between group treatment effects on function; however, increases in self efficacy for exercise and self reported levels of physical activity in the physical intervention lend support to our predefined intervention logic model.  The use of self report measures may have introduced bias.  An HD physical activity self management and coaching intervention is feasible and worthy of further investigation.

title: Participation in physical activities for children with cerebral palsy: feasibility and effectiveness of physical activity on prescription
abstract: BackgroundChildren with cerebral palsy (CP) are less physically active and more sedentary than other children which implies risk factors for their physical and mental health. Physical activity on prescription (PAP) is an effective intervention to promote a lifestyle change towards increased physical activity in adults in general. Knowledge is lacking about the use of PAP in children with CP. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of PAP for children with CP and its effectiveness on participation in physical activity and sedentary behaviour.MethodsEleven children with CP, aged 7 11 years, participated in PAP, consisting of a written agreement between each child, their parents and the physiotherapist and based on Motivational Interviewing (MI) Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) Individual goals, gross motor function and physical activity were assessed at baseline, at 8 and/or 11 months using COPM, GAS, logbooks, Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM 66) physical activity questionnaires, physical activity and heart rate monitors and time use diaries. At 8 and 11 months the feasibility of the intervention and costs and time spent for the families and the physiotherapist were evaluated by questionnaires.ResultsThe intervention was feasible according to the feasibility questionnaire. Each child participated in 1 3 self selected physical activities during 3 6 months with support from the physiotherapist, and clinically meaningful increases from baseline of COPM and GAS scores were recorded. Being physically active at moderate vigorous levels varied between less than 30 and more than 240 minutes/day, and the median for the whole group was 84 minutes/day at baseline and 106 minutes/day at 8 months.ConclusionsThe intervention PAP seems to be feasible and effective for children with CP, involving both every day and organised physical activities to promote an active lifestyle through increased participation, motivation, and engagement in physical activities. Further research of PAP is needed, preferably in a long term randomised controlled trial and including health economic analysis to show costs and benefits.

title: Low Motor Competence Competence Is Different From That in Children With Physical Fitness in Children With High Motor

title: Arm Motor Recovery Using a Virtual Reality Intervention in Chronic Stroke
abstract: Despite interest in virtual environments (VEs) for poststroke arm motor rehabilitation, advantages over physical environment (PE) training have not been established.  The authors compared kinematic and clinical outcomes of dose matched upper limb training between a 3D VE and a PE in chronic stroke.  Participants (n 32) were randomized to a 3D VE or PE for training. They pointed to 6 workspace targets (72 trials, 12 trials/target, randomized) for 12 sessions over 4 weeks with similar feedback on precision, movement speed, and trunk displacement. Primary (kinematics, clinical arm motor impairment) and secondary (activity level, arm use) outcomes were compared by time (PRE, POST, and follow up, RET) training environment, and impairment severity (mild, moderate to severe) using mixed model analyses of variance (ANOVAs)  Endpoint speed, overall performance on a reach to grasp task, and activity levels increased in both groups. Only participants in the VE group improved shoulder horizontal adduction at POST (9.5deg) and flexion at both POST (6.3deg) and RET (13deg) Impairment level affected outcomes. After VE training, the mild group increased elbow extension (RET, 25.5deg) The moderate to severe group in VE increased arm use at POST (0.5 points) and reaching ability at RET (2.2 points) The moderate to severe group training in PE increased reaching ability earlier (POST, 1.7 points) and both elbow extension (10.7deg) and arm use (0.4 points) at RET, but these changes were accompanied by increased compensatory trunk displacement (RET, 30.2 mm) Conclusion. VE training led to more changes in the mild group and a motor recovery pattern in the moderate to severe group indicative of less compensation, possibly because of a better use of feedback.

title: Systematic review of the relationships between objectively measured physical activity and health indicators in school aged children and youth.
abstract: Moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is essential for disease prevention and health promotion. Emerging evidence suggests other intensities of physical activity (PA) including light intensity activity (LPA) may also be important, but there has been no rigorous evaluation of the evidence. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the relationships between objectively measured PA (total and all intensities) and health indicators in school aged children and youth. Online databases were searched for peer reviewed studies that met the a priori inclusion criteria: population (apparently healthy, aged 5 17 years) intervention/exposure/comparator (volumes, durations, frequencies, intensities, and patterns of objectively measured PA) and outcome (body composition, cardiometabolic biomarkers, physical fitness, behavioural conduct/pro social behaviour, cognition/academic achievement, quality of life/well being, harms, bone health, motor skill development, psychological distress, self esteem) Heterogeneity among studies precluded meta analyses; narrative synthesis was conducted. A total of 162 studies were included (204 171 participants from 31 countries) Overall, total PA was favourably associated with physical, psychological/social, and cognitive health indicators. Relationships were more consistent and robust for higher (e.g. MVPA) versus lower (e.g. LPA) intensity PA. All patterns of activity (sporadic, bouts, continuous) provided benefit. LPA was favourably associated with cardiometabolic biomarkers; data were scarce for other outcomes. These findings continue to support the importance of at least 60 min/day of MVPA for disease prevention and health promotion in children and youth, but also highlight the potential benefits of LPA and total PA. All intensities of PA should be considered in future work aimed at better elucidating the health benefits of PA in children and youth.