Cohort study demonstrates improved motor skills and fitness in schoolchildren, highlighting the value of structured physical activity in school routines.
Key Points
To evaluate changes in motor skill performance among schoolchildren after participating in a one-year school-integrated physical exercise program compared to a non-participating control group.
Conducted an observational longitudinal cohort study across 5 schools involving 357 enrolled children, with 303 completing one-year follow-up (exercise group: n = 183; waiting group: n = 120).
Evaluated motor skills at baseline and after one year using the German Motor Test 6–18.
Applied linear mixed modeling to analyze inter-group differences in motor skill changes while adjusting for sex, age group, and BMI category.
The exercise group improved significantly more than controls in 6 of 8 motor skill tests prior to covariate adjustment.
Following adjustment for sex, age, and BMI, the exercise group maintained significantly greater improvements in 4 of 8 tests: sprint (p = 0.017), side jumps (p = 0.017), stand and reach (p = 0.012), and ergometry (p < 0.001).
Girls showed greater gains in sit-ups than boys, second graders improved more than fifth graders in backwards balance and ergometry, and non-overweight children outperformed overweight peers in the standing long jump.