Effect of Motor Competence and Health-Related Fitness in the Prevention of Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors

ABSTRACT

Purpose: In the last decades we have seen an increase in sedentary behaviors and a decrease in physical activity in children when compared to past generations. This lifestyle is commonly associated with the development of clustering risk factors that define metabolic syndrome (MetS). Knowing that motor competence (MC) development can influence lifelong physical activity habits, it is reasonable to assume that children’s MC will directly link to clustered cardiometabolic health outcomes. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of MC in MetS risk factors. Methods: Seventy children with a mean age of 7.49 (SD = 1.28) years were evaluated on motor competence (MCA—Motor Competence Assessment instrument), cardiovascular fitness (PACER test), upper body strength (UBS; handgrip), and the components of MetS, hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension, abdominal obesity, low concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high fasting blood glucose. The composite value of MetS was calculated according to Burns et al. (2017). Multiple standard regressions were performed to explore the effect of different variables on MetS. Motor competence and health-related fitness (cardiovascular fitness and relative upper body strength) were used as independent variables (predictors) and MetS as dependent variable. Results: Overall, the results showed that motor competence (β = −.072; p < .05) is a significant predictor and this model explained 7,1% of the variance in MetS. Conclusion: Although more studies are needed, our results indicate that MC seems to have a positive role in children’s health markers.

HIGHLIGHTS

• This study aimed to analyze the role of MC, cardiorespiratory fitness, and upper body strength in MetS risk factors.

• The results suggest that upper body strength is the strongest predictor for MetS (negative association), followed by MC (positive association).

• When the different MC components were entered independently instead of total MC, the upper body strength and locomotor MC were found to be significant predictors of the MetS behavior.

• Considering our results and the fact that MC levels during childhood positively influence PA levels along lifespan, this study suggests a pathway to follow in future research.

KEYWORDS:

• Cardiovascular fitness
• children
• health
• motor competence assessment
• motor development
• upper body strength

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

IRB approval

The ethical committee of the Lisbon School of Health Technology ensured the conformity procedures regarding scientific research involving human beings and approved the study (CE-ESTeSL—Nº.47–2019).

Additional information

Funding

We acknowledge that RC was partly supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under Grant UIDB/00447/2020 to CIPER—Centro Interdisciplinar para o Estudo da Performance Humana (unit 447). LPR work was partially supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P., under project UID04045/2020. ACM and AST gratefully acknowledge the FCT/MCTES national support through the UIDB/05608/2020 and UIDP/05608/2020.