Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary behavior in children with and without developmental coordination disorder: Associations with fundamental movement skills.
Teaching kids with DCD to catch well may be the fastest way to get them to the 60-minute MVPA finish line.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers watched the kids during PE class. Half had Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Half were typically developing.
They scored each child on six basic movement skills: run, jump, catch, kick, throw, and balance. Then they strapped on waist accelerometers for one week to measure moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).
What they found
Kids with DCD scored lower on every skill. The gap was biggest for catching.
Only the catching score predicted who hit the 60-minute daily MVPA mark. The better the catch, the more minutes of MVPA. This link was strongest for girls with DCD.
How this fits with other research
Boets et al. (2011) saw preschoolers with DCD already sitting out of games. Jie et al. now show the problem lasts into elementary years and point to one fixable skill: catching.
Chung-Qian et al. (2013) found kids with ADHD move more than peers. Jie’s kids with DCD move less. Same accelerometer method, opposite results—showing diagnosis drives activity level, not the tool.
Diehl et al. (2012) reported more active play linked to higher BMI in boys with DCD but lower BMI in girls. Jie adds a new twist: among girls with DCD, good catching alone pushes them into healthy MVPA range.
Why it matters
If you run social-skills or recess groups, spend five extra minutes on catching drills. Use beanbags, balloons, or slow-motion tennis balls. Track catches per minute and MVPA on your wrist tracker. One mastered skill may unlock the daily hour of health-boosting movement for kids who avoid PE because they feel clumsy.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: There is a pandemic of physical inactivity in children. Compared to children with typical development (TD), those with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) are less physically active. Mastery of movement skills such as fundamental movement skills (FMS) are potential correlates of physical activity. AIMS: To examine the associations of FMS with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behavior (SB) in children with DCD and TD. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: This cross-sectional study included 172 children with DCD (n = 73; boys = 49) or TD (n = 99; boys = 48) aged 6-10 years. Five components of FMS (running, jumping, throwing, catching, kicking) were assessed using process- and product- oriented approaches using the Test of Gross Motor Development-second edition. The time spent in MVPA and SB was measured using accelerometers. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Children with DCD had significantly poorer performance in FMS proficiency in terms of specific movement patterns (jumping and catching) and outcomes (running, jumping, catching, and kicking) when compared to children with TD. MVPA and SB were significantly associated with certain process-oriented FMS assessments in children, which was moderated by motor coordination status and sex. Movement patterns of catching (odds ratio = 1.686, p < .05) was a significant predictor of children's attainment of the MVPA guideline. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: It is important to develop FMS patterns and ball skills in early childhood, particularly for children with DCD, to combat physical inactivity and its related health problems.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2021 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104070