The Relationship between Leisure Time Physical Activity and Fundamental Movement Skill Ability in Children who Attend a State School and Children who Attend a Private School
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationships between
leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and Fundamental Movement Skill (FMS) ability
in children attending a state school and children attending a private school in Bristol,
England. Gender differences and the number and duration of sporting and sedentary
activities that children participated in and the relationship with FMS ability and FMS
mastery was a secondary aim within the study. A representative sample of year one,
two and three children from one state school (n = 35; 26% females) and one private
school (n = 23; 22% females) participated in the study. The mean age of the children
was 6.2 years of age. Physical activity (PA) information was attained via completion
of the Children’s Physical Activity Questionnaire (CPAQ) (Telford, 2004) where
parents provided information on all sports, leisure and sedentary activities that their
child took part in over the previous seven days. Fundamental Movement Skill ability
and skill mastery was measured using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2
(Ulrich, 2000) where children were asked to perform four locomotor skills (run,
gallop, hop and jump) and four object control skills (throw, kick, catch and strike).
Quantitative data was uploaded to SPSS and analysed using non-parametric tests.
Main findings included significant differences between schools for the total amount of
time spent in school PA (P < 0.001) and between genders for the kick (P = <0.001).
The total amount of time spent in sports activities was positively associated with the
total mastery score for both children that attended the state school (rs = 0.52, P =
0.004) and children that attended the private school (rs = 0.61, P = 0.002). Total
sport number was also positively associated with total number of Leisure Time
Physical Activity (LTPA) for children who attended the state school (rs = 0.57, P =
0.001) but was not significantly associated for children who attended the private
school (rs = 0.23, P = 0.286).
More research is required in English children surrounding FMS and LTPA in order to
establish whether there is a relationship between increased LTPA and FMS ability.
Additional research is also required to establish whether there are differences in PA
behaviors and FMS ability in children attending a state school and children attending a private school.
Collections
- Masters Degrees (Sport) [168]
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, subject and abstract.
-
The influence of extracurricular after school club physical activity on health related fitness levels in year nine children.
Jones, Lewis (Cardiff Metropolitan University, 2014)This study aimed to investigate the impact that after school club physical activity has on year nine children’s health related fitness levels. Research was undertaken in a large comprehensive school within Wiltshire, ... -
SOCIAL EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON CHILDREN WITH ASD IN SCHOOL
Sowerby, Emma (University of Wales Institute Cardiff, 2012)Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) need opportunities to develop social and communication skills so that they are able to live independently and interact in today’s society. These special children find it difficult ... -
The enjoyment of walking outdoors
Turner, James (Cardiff Metropolitan University, 2013)Background: A lack of regular physical activity has become the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality today. Several physiological and psychological factors can decrease physical activity levels, such as age, ...