Original paperMotor fitness in Dutch youth: Differences over a 26-year period (1980–2006)
Introduction
Low physical fitness in children has been associated with impaired health indicators such as increased body fatness,1, 2, 3 several cardiovascular disease risk factors4, 5, 6 and hypertension.1, 6 Therefore it is important to promote high levels of fitness in modern youth. Only a few studies have been published on changes in pediatric physical fitness.7 Physical fitness can be divided into neuromotor fitness (i.e. muscle strength, flexibility, speed of movement, and coordination) and aerobic fitness. Some studies have reported that children are not currently as physically fit as their peers in the previous decades,8, 9, 10 while others report no differences.7, 11, 12 Most of these studies focus on secular changes in aerobic fitness rather than neuromotor fitness. As the majority of physical activities of children involve high-intensity bursts such as jumping and sprinting, a decrease in neuromotor fitness could negatively affect children in their daily physical activity levels and in the long term their health status.13, 14
In addition, because motor skill proficiency tracks through childhood15 it is plausible that children with poorer motor skills may become less active adolescents with associated poorer fitness levels. Children who are proficient at performing motor skills may participate more in the type of activities likely to increase fitness levels. Physical activity opportunities of adolescents may thus be increased if they are competent at performing many prerequisite motor skills.16 Therefore, neuromotor fitness may be just as important as aerobic fitness in maintaining overall health and function.17
The few studies on secular changes of children's neuromotor fitness have shown little change in recent decades. In a systematic review, Tomkinson13 recently analysed secular trends of performances of children (6–12 years) on power and speed tests worldwide over the period 1958–2003. Power (jumping tests) and speed test performances (sprint running and agility running tests) remained relatively stable during the whole period, but a trend towards decline was found since the 1980s (−0.08% to −0.25% per annum). Compared to secular changes in children's aerobic fitness, reported neuromotor changes are substantially smaller.10, 18, 19
Since the study of Tomkinson13 did not include data from the Netherlands, it is unknown whether secular trends in neuromotor fitness levels of Dutch youth are comparable to these documented secular changes. The present paper describes age- and sex-specific neuromotor fitness of 2050 present Dutch children aged 9–12, using the Motor performance (MOPER) fitness test. Since Leyten20 measured MOPER fitness test performance in 2603 Dutch children in 1980, data on changes in neuromotor fitness in Dutch youth over a 26-year period will be given.
Section snippets
Methods
In order to compare the MOPER fitness test scores of Dutch children in 2006 with the MOPER fitness test scores of children in 1980 permission was given to access and analyse the Leyten data.20 The study of Leyten20 concerned a random sample of 2603 9–12-year-old Dutch children from 32 primary schools throughout the Netherlands. A stratified sample of regular primary schools was selected for participation, taking into account the national level of urbanisation and social status.
Our study
Results
All data were normally distributed, except for the scores on ‘bent-arm hang’ and ‘leg lift test’ (all age groups and both genders). As in 1980, only performance on ‘arm pull’ was correlated with body weight (r = 0.55) in 2006. Therefore, arm pull adjusted for weight (‘arm pull adjusted’ = (‘arm pull’/weight) × 100) was used in the analysis.
In 2006, 61% of the children attended a primary school located in an urban area and 39% in a rural area. Both genders were equally represented per age category in
Discussion
The aim of this study was to compare the neuromotor performance on MOPER fitness test of Dutch children aged 9–12 with same aged children over a 26-year period (1980–2006). Because the MOPER fitness test includes more items of neuromotor fitness than just power and speed tests, this study gives a rather complete insight into the changes in neuromotor fitness in present youth. Compared to 1980, neuromotor performance on MOPER fitness test items in 2006 was significantly worse on almost all test
Conclusion
Current results suggest that present 9–12-year-old Dutch youth are physically not as fit as same aged children were in 1980. Although BMI increased, this did not account for most differences in neuromotor fitness between 1980 and 2006 in 9–12-year-old Dutch youth. As the majority of physical activities of children involve high-intensity bursts such as jumping and sprinting, this decrease in neuromotor fitness may negatively affect children in their daily physical activity levels and in the long
Practical implications
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This observed decrease in neuromotor fitness of present Dutch youth, may negatively affect their daily physical activity levels and in the long term their health status.
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To prevent poor fitness levels of present Dutch youth, an active lifestyle during childhood should be encouraged to obtain good physical fitness during childhood and adolescence.
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To prevent further declines in fitness levels regular screening and treatment of inadeqaute neuromotor fitness in youth is recommended.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank C. Leyten for providing original data from his study, making comparison with fitness test performances in 1980 possible. The iPlay-study is supported by a grant from the Netherlands organisation for health research and development (ZONMW), grant number 62200033.
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