Physical fitness in preschool children in relation to later body composition at first grade in school

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to investigate whether better physical fitness in kindergarten predicts later healthier body composition in first grade at school.

Methods: Body composition was assessed by skinfold thickness measurements. Physical fitness tests included 20 m shuttle run test, handgrip strength test, standing long jump test, 4x10 m shuttle run test as part of PREFIT fitness test battery, and one-leg stance test from EUROFIT test battery. The participants of this study were 147 Estonian children (51% boys) aged 6-8 years, who were measured in the transition from kindergarten to school.

Results: After adjusting for maternal body mass index, educational attainment, child's sex, age at the measurements, greater cardiovascular and motor fitness, relative lower body strength, static balance at 6.6 yr were associated with lower fat mass index, fat mass percentage at 12-month follow-up. The relative lower body strength above the median at 6.6 yr were related to lower fat mass index and fat mass percentage at 12-month follow-up, while the static balance test results demonstrated the opposite associations. Improvements in the 4x10 m shuttle run test results during the 12-month follow-up period were associated with the most beneficial changes in body composition status, such as increases in fat-free mass index and decreases in fat mass index, fat mass percentage, waist-to-height ratio after adjusting for maternal body mass index, educational attainment, child's sex, age, at the measurements and baseline values of exposures.

Conclusion: Better physical fitness tests results at 6.6 yr in kindergarten generally predicted lower body fat parameters in children at 7.6 yr in first grade at school.

Fig 1. Association of physical fitness below or above the median at 6.6 yr with body composition at 7.6 yr.

Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was applied adjusting for maternal BMI, maternal educational attainment, child’s age and sex at baseline and follow-up measurements. Data are represented as estimated marginal means with their 95% confidence intervals. BMI—body mass index; FFMI—fat-free mass index; FM—fat mass; FMI—fat mass index; WHtR–waist-to-height ratio. Differences between the two groups: *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01.