title: Correlates of Gross Motor Competence in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gross motor competence confers health benefits, but levels in children and adolescents are low. While interventions can improve gross motor competence, it remains unclear which correlates should be targeted to ensure interventions are most effective, and for whom targeted and tailored interventions should be developed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this systematic review was to identify the potential correlates of gross motor competence in typically developing children and adolescents (aged 3-18 years) using an ecological approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  Motor competence was defined as gross motor skill competency, encompassing fundamental movement skills and motor coordination, but excluding motor fitness. Studies needed to assess a summary score of at least one aspect of motor competence (i.e., object control, locomotor, stability, or motor coordination). A structured electronic literature search was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Six electronic databases (CINAHL Complete, ERIC, MEDLINE Complete, PsycINFO®, Scopus and SPORTDiscus with Full Text) were searched from 1994 to 5 August 2014. Meta-analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between potential correlates and motor competency if at least three individual studies investigated the same correlate and also reported standardized regression coefficients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 59 studies were identified from 22 different countries, published between 1995 and 2014. Studies reflected the full range of age groups. The most examined correlates were biological and demographic factors. Age (increasing) was a correlate of children's motor competence. Weight status (healthy), sex (male) and socioeconomic background (higher) were consistent correlates for certain aspects of motor competence only. Physical activity and sport participation constituted the majority of investigations in the behavioral attributes and skills category. Whilst we found physical activity to be a positive correlate of skill composite and motor coordination, we also found indeterminate evidence for physical activity being a correlate of object control or locomotor skill competence. Few studies investigated cognitive, emotional and psychological factors, cultural and social factors or physical environment factors as correlates of motor competence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This systematic review is the first that has investigated correlates of gross motor competence in children and adolescents. A strength is that we categorized correlates according to the specific ways motor competence has been defined and operationalized (object control, motor coordination, etc.), which enables us to have an understanding of what correlates assist what types of motor competence. Indeed our findings do suggest that evidence for some correlates differs according to how motor competence is operationalized.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Building BC, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, Melbourne, 3125, Australia. lisa.barnett@deakin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Building BC, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, Melbourne, 3125, Australia.
authors.forename: Samuel K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Sciences, Early Start Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: Sanne L C
authors.initials: SLC
authors.lastname: Veldman
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Collaboration, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Louise L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Sciences, Early Start Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: Dylan P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Cliff
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education and Arts, Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.affiliation: Northern NSW Health Promotion, Lismore, Australia.|University Centre for Rural Health North Coast, School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.|School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia.
authors.forename: Avigdor
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zask
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education and Arts, Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Lubans
authors.affiliation: School of Sport and Exercise, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Sarah P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Shultz
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicola D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Ridgers
authors.affiliation: Centre for Child Health Research, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rush
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Helen L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Sciences, Early Start Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: Anthony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Okely
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology