Fundamental motor skill among preschool children in rural of Kuching, Sarawak

ABSTRACT

Fundamental motor skill development is crucial in preventing preschool children from early adoption of obesogenic lifestyles. This study aims to determine the motor skill level in preschool children and its gender differences in rural of Sarawak. This was a cross sectional study with a total of 153 children from 9 kindergartens. Children in this study performed better for object control skills (14.7 ± 3.60) than loco-motor skills (13.2 ± 4.14). Girls achieved better in loco-motor skills (15.0 ± 3.79) such as run, gallop and hop; whereas boys produced better in object control skills (15.5 ± 3.26) namely kick, throw, and roll. These findings help to highlight the need to provide gender-separated games or sports, so that both boys and girls can achieve equal level of motor skills for participation in wider range of physical activities.

KEYWORDS:

• Fundamental motor skill
• physical activity
• preschool
• loco-motor skills
• object control skills

Acknowledgements

We also thank the Sarawak Community Development Department (Jabatan Kemajuan Masyarakat Negeri Sarawak), Malaysia Ministry of Rural Development, and all the preschool teachers for assisting us in the assessments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research is sponsored by the Sarawak Heart Foundation [grant number SHF/8.1/1].

Notes on contributors

Hsien Liang Melvin Chung

Dr Melvin Chung is a Public Health Medicine Specialist of Ministry of Health Malaysia. He completed his medical degree from Volgograd State Medical University (VSMU), Russia. He had his early training as medical doctor in Sarawak General Hospital in 2012, and was posted to Betong district hospital for compulsory services after that. In 2013, Dr Melvin hold the responsibility as Betong District Hospital Director. He was then continued gaining experience in Bau District Health Office as District Health Officer in 2014. Dr Melvin completed his Master in Public Health as well as Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) in 2019. His research interest is concerned with the physical inactivity, sedentary behaviour, fundamental motor skills, childhood obesity and physical activity intervention among the children. He also completed research projects on family health, specifically into the role performance of community health volunteers in Kuching.

Whye Lian Cheah

Dr Cheah Whye Lian is an associate professor in the Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. She has her degree in Nutrition, Master in Public Health and Ph.D. in Community Nutrition. Her research focused on the issues on assessment of nutritional status from children to adulthood, specialized at the community level. She has knowledge in conducting quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods research. Her work also involves studies among the indigenous groups of Sarawak, looking at the interaction between cultural and health behaviours, particularly among the Iban and Bidayuh communities. She was the principal investigator of several projects focusing on non-communicable disease among adolescents in Sarawak intervention study on preschool children. She also had completed projects on rural health, children and adolescent health, community-based intervention.

Helmy Hazmi

Dr Helmy Hazmi is a Public Health Physician currently working in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). He received his early training as a medical doctor in UNIMAS and subsequently in Public Health Medicine in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Kelantan, with a major in Epidemiology and Bio-statistics. Besides being active in teaching the undergraduates and the postgraduates, where he is currently the MPH Programme Coordinator. He is also a reviewer for journals and a member of the Malaysian One Health University Network (MyOHUN). As a columnist, he is actively writing health articles for the public through the Malaysian Medical Gazette outlet. Dr Helmy is also a member of the Academy of Medicine, Malaysia. His research interest is varied and is concerned with matters that elevate the health and well-being of the public. He has interest in both Non-Communicable (NCDs) and Communicable Diseases (CDs), clinical epidemiology, medical sociology, mental health, medical technology, the use of IoT in medicine and lately in the scholarship of Teaching and Learning in medical education.