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- Study of body composition and motor competence in children from the 1st basic cycle and their relationship with school performancePublication . Afonso, P.; Rebelo, Miguel; HONÓRIO, SAMUEL; Santos, Jorge Manuel Folgado; Pais, António; Afonso, Paulo; Marques, Catarina; Diniz, Afonso; Serrano, JoãoChildhood obesity is a public health problem that affects many parts of the world, and is one of the factors that has negatively influenced levels of motor competence at an early age. However, these relationships remain poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to assess body composition (BC) and motor competence (MC), as well as to study their relationship with school performance in primary school children in Portugal. A quantitative study was carried out with a sample of 272 children aged between 6 and 10 years old, divided into 4 years of schooling. The Motor Competence Assessment was used to assess motor competence (MC) and a bioimpedance scale (InBody) was used to assess body composition (BC). The results showed that, with the exception of 1st year, all the children were overweight and this worsened as the school year progressed. As for motor competence, it increases as the children grow, but at low levels for their age, with only the 3rd and 4th years showing a relationship between MC and BC. The results also showed a positive relationship between academic achievement and MC only in the 4th year of schooling. These results highlight the need for intervention in primary schools to combat childhood obesity and motor illiteracy, as well as demonstrating that the better children’s MC, the better their school performance.
- Influence of sex, family structure, and access to technology on the motor development of children aged 24 to 48 monthsPublication . Rebelo, Miguel; Adrião, Rafael; Silva Batista, Marco Alexandre; HONÓRIO, SAMUEL; Ferreira de Pedro Mesquita, Maria Helena; Marques, Catarina; Serrano, JoãoBackground/Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the influence of sex, the presence of siblings, and the duration of exposure to technology on the development of gross and fine motor skills in children aged between 24 and 48 months, using the PDMS-2 battery as the assessment instrument. Methods: The sample comprised 193 children, distributed across three age groups: 24 months (N = 22), 36 months (N = 78), and 48 months (N = 93). The assessed skills included Postural Control, Locomotion, Object Manipulation, Fine Grasping, and Visual–Motor Integration, grouped into the domains of Gross Motor and Fine Motor development. Statistical analysis was conducted using the non-parametric Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests, complemented by the epsilon squared (ε2) effect size measure. Results: The results revealed statistically significant differences between sexes, with girls demonstrating superior performance in Fine Motor and Visual–Motor Integration tasks, particularly at 36 and 48 months (p < 0.05; ε2 up to 0.22). The presence of siblings showed a positive impact only at 36 months, while the duration of exposure to technology did not present a significant association with motor performance at any age group. Conclusions: The Total Motor Quotient (TMQ) varied according to the variables analyzed, reinforcing the notion that motor development is multifactorial and sensitive to familial and social contexts. These findings highlight the importance of considering both environmental and biological factors when designing motor intervention strategies in early childhood.