Predictors of health- and motor-related physical fitness and motor skills in South African children

Background: Physical activity (PA), physical fitness (PF), and motor skills (MS) are known to play a crucial role in overall health and well-being, particularly in early childhood when habits that affect future health are formed.
Purpose: To determine the influence of socioeconomic status (SES; i.e. employment status, educational level, and income of parents), body composition (BC), sex, geographical area (school quintile), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) to determine the best predictors of health-related physical fitness (HRPF), motor-related physical fitness (MR-PF), and MS in five- to eight-year-old children
Methods: Participants included 299 children (150 boys, 149 girls, mean age 6.9±0.96 years). A questionnaire was used to gather SES; height and weight measured. Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) determined body composition. HRPF and MR-PF were measured standard protocols, including the Körperkoordinations test für Kinder (KTK) and the TGMD-2. Physical activity was assessed using ActiGraphs accelerometer. Multiple stepwise regression analysis using SPSS analysed the data.
Results: Medium to large significant effects were observed for all predictors, with body fat percentage (BF%), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), parental education and income, and BMI emerging as significant contributors to HRPF. MVPA and BMI were the most influential predictors. For MRPF and MS, sex, school quintile status, BF%, MVPA, BMI, and parental income were predictors, with sex and environmental influences being the strongest contributors. Notably, the prediction power of MRPF and MS was generally lower.
Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of holistic approaches that consider individual factors such as BC, PA levels, and sex, alongside broader social and economic contexts, in promoting children’s well-being.
Practical implications: The study emphasises the need for comprehensive strategies to address the multifaceted influences on children’s physical development.