Basic motor competencies (BMC) are a prerequisite for children to be physically active, participate in sports and thus develop a healthy, active lifestyle. The present study provides a broad screening of BMC and associations with age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and extracurricular physical activity (PA) in 10 different European countries. The different country and regional contexts within Europe will offer a novel view on already established BMC associations. The cross-sectional study was conducted in 11 regions in 10 European countries in 2018. The motor competence areas, object movement (OM) and self-movement (SM), were assessed using the MOBAK-1-2 test instrument in 3758 first and second graders (age: M = 6.86 ± 0.60 years; 50% girls) during Physical Education classes. Children were questioned about their extracurricular PA and age. Their body weight and height were measured in order to calculate BMI. Statistical analyses included variances and correlations. The results showed significant differences in BMC levels between countries (OM: F = 18.74, p < 0.001, η 2 = 0.048; SM: F = 73.10, p < 0.001, η 2 = 0.163) whereas associations between BMC and correlates were similar. Boys performed significantly better in OM while girls performed better in SM. Age was consistently positively related to OM and SM with older children reaching higher levels of BMC than younger ones. While participation rates for extracurricular PA differed widely, participation in ball sports was correlated with OM and SM. Participation in individual sports showed a significant association with SM. In summary, BMC levels of children seem to depend on where they live and are strongly related to their participation in extracurricular PA. Therefore, education and health policies, in order to enhance motor competence development and PA participation, are recommended. Further research on country-specific Physical Education frameworks and their influence on BMC will provide more insights into structural factors and cultural characteristics of BMC development. On a school level, support tools and educational materials for teachers about BMC may enable children to achieve a basic level of motor competencies through Physical Education, contributing to lifelong participation in PA.
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Basic motor competencies (BMC) belong to the key learning goals of Physical Education (PE) in primary school curricula in Europe. These competencies are necessary to participate in sports inside and outside of school. Children should therefore achieve age-adequate BMC in PE and any need for educational motor support should be identified at an early stage. Studies in German-speaking countries showed that various endogenous and exogenous factors are related to children’s BMC, but international studies are missing. In the present cross-sectional study, the two BMC areas object movement (OM) and self-movement (SM) as well as the associations with endogenous (age, sex, body mass index) and exogenous (participation in extracurricular sports) factors were investigated in 1721 8‑ to 10-year-old primary school children from nine European countries. Over 25% of the children showed need for educational motor support in OM and over 20% in SM. BMC levels differed significantly between the country-specific subsamples. In all subsamples, boys showed better performances in OM, while girls scored better in SM. Older children performed better in OM and SM than younger children. Higher body mass index predicted lower BMC scores in both competence areas. Participation in ball sports was positively associated with OM and SM, and individual sports participation was a significant predictor of SM. As exogenous and endogenous variables consistently predicted BMC in all subsamples, there must be other reasons for variation in BMC levels. Future studies should address country- and school-specific characteristics like content and amount of PE. Motorische Basiskompetenzen (basic motor competencies; BMC) gehören zu den wichtigsten Lernzielen des Sportunterrichts in den Lehrplänen der europäischen Grundschulen. Diese Kompetenzen sind notwendig, um innerhalb und außerhalb der Schule Sport treiben zu können. Kinder sollten daher im Sportunterricht altersgemäße BMC erwerben und etwaiger Förderbedarf sollte frühzeitig erkannt werden. Studien im deutschsprachigen Raum zeigten, dass verschiedene endogene und exogene Faktoren mit den BMC der Kinder zusammenhängen, jedoch fehlt es bisher an internationalen Studien. In der vorliegenden Querschnittsstudie wurden die beiden BMC-Bereiche Etwas-bewegen (object movement; OM) und Sich-bewegen (self-movement; SM) sowie deren Zusammenhänge mit endogenen (Alter, Geschlecht, Body-Mass-Index) und exogenen (Teilnahme an außerschulischem Sport) Faktoren bei 1721 8–10-jährigen Grundschulkindern aus neun europäischen Ländern untersucht. Über 25 % der Kinder wiesen Förderbedarf im Bereich OM auf und über 20 % im Bereich SM. Die BMC-Werte unterschieden sich signifikant zwischen den länderspezifischen Stichproben. In allen Teilstichproben zeigten die Jungen bessere Leistungen im OM, während die Mädchen im SM besser abschnitten. Ältere Kinder erbrachten bessere Leistungen als jüngere Kinder. Ein höherer Body-Mass-Index prognostizierte niedrigere BMC-Werte in beiden Kompetenzbereichen. Die Teilnahme an Ballsportarten stand in einem positiven Zusammenhang mit OM und SM, und die Teilnahme an Individualsportarten war ein signifikanter Prädiktor für SM. Da die exogenen und endogenen Variablen die BMC in allen Stichproben übereinstimmend vorhersagten, muss es andere Gründe für die Unterschiede im BMC-Niveau geben. Künftige Studien sollten länder- und schulspezifische Merkmale wie Inhalt und Umfang des Sportunterrichts untersuchen.
The goal of this cross-sectional study was to further explore the relationships between motor competence, physical activity, perceived motor competence, physical fitness and weight status in different age categories of Dutch primary school children. Participants were 2068 children aged 4 to 13 years old, divided over 9 age groups. During physical education classes, they completed the 4-Skills Test, a physical activity questionnaire, versions of the Self-Perception Profile for Children, Eurofit test and anthropometry measurements. Results show that all five factors included in the analyses are related to each other and that a tipping point exists at which relations emerge or strengthen. Physical fitness is related to both motor competence and physical activity and these relationships strengthen with age. A relationship between body mass index and the other four factors emerges in middle childhood. Interestingly, at a young age, motor competence and perceived motor competence are weakly related, but neither one of these have a relation with physical activity. In middle childhood, both motor competence and perceived motor competence are related to physical activity. Our findings show that children in late childhood who have higher perceived motor competence are also more physically active, have higher physical fitness, higher motor competence and lower body mass index. Our results indicate that targeting motor competence at a young age might be a feasible way to ensure continued participation in physical activities throughout childhood and adolescence.
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