title: Relationship of physical activity with motor skills, aerobic fitness and body fat in preschool children: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study (Ballabeina).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adiposity, low aerobic fitness and low levels of activity are all associated with clustered cardiovascular disease risk in children and their high prevalence represents a major public health concern.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship of objectively measured physical activity (PA) with motor skills (agility and balance), aerobic fitness and %body fat in young children.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses using mixed linear models. Longitudinal data were adjusted for baseline outcome parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 217 healthy preschool children (age 4-6 years, 48% boys) participated in this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  PA (accelerometers), agility (obstacle course), dynamic balance (balance beam), aerobic fitness (20-m shuttle run) and %body fat (bioelectric impedance) at baseline and 9 months later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PA was positively associated with both motor skills and aerobic fitness at baseline as well as with their longitudinal changes. Specifically, only vigorous, but not total or moderate PA, was related to changes in aerobic fitness. Higher PA was associated with less %body fat at baseline, but not with its change. Conversely, baseline motor skills, aerobic fitness or %body fat were not related to changes in PA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In young children, baseline PA was associated with improvements in motor skills and in aerobic fitness, an important determinant of cardiovascular risk.
authors: Institute of Exercise and Health Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Bürgi
authors: U
authors: U
authors: Meyer
authors: U
authors: U
authors: Granacher
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Schindler
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Marques-Vidal
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Kriemler
authors: J J
authors: JJ
authors: Puder
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires