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Children
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Movement Behaviors and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Pediatric Population
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Movement Behaviors and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Pediatric Population

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Pediatric Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 May 2025) | Viewed by 8386

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Diego Augusto Santos Silva

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Research Center Kinanthropometry and Human Performance, Sports Center, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis 88040-900, Brazil
Interests: physical activity and health; movement behaviors; physical fitness; children and adolescents
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Twenty-four-hour movement behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep) are directly linked to indicators of physical and mental health in the pediatric population. The prevalence of children and adolescents meeting the 24-hour movement behavior recommendations remains low worldwide, and thus, it is considered a public health challenge. While meeting the 24-hour movement behavior recommendations is a challenge in today's society, the enhancement and maintenance of recommended levels for health-related physical fitness components (body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength/endurance, and flexibility) are associated with genetic/biological, contextual, and behavioral factors. Continuous research on these topics in the pediatric population is essential, as proper growth and development in children result from adequate levels of 24-hour movement behaviors and the improvement of health-related physical fitness components.

This Special Issue aims to gather evidence on 24-hour movement behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep) and on the components of health-related physical fitness (body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength/endurance, and flexibility) in children and adolescents. This evidence may be presented together, addressing both themes, or separately. This approach is justified because, regardless of how the evidence is presented, the information is directly related to growth and development in childhood and adolescence.

Authors are invited to contribute to this issue by submitting original research, review articles and meta-analyses related to the movement behaviors and/or health-related physical fitness of children and adolescents.

Dr. Diego Augusto Santos Silva
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • physical activity
  • weight status
  • body composition
  • anthropometry
  • exercise
  • public health
  • epidemiology
  • cardiorespiratory fitness
  • muscle strength
  • sleep
  • sedentary behavior
  • screentime
  • failure to thrive
  • child health
  • adolescent health
  • obesity
  • pediatric nutrition
  • sleep disorders
  • sports
  • school

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 2168 KiB  
Article
Parental Attitude Toward the Engagement in Physical Activity of Their Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Hungary
by Ildikó Balatoni
Children 2025, 12(5), 612; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12050612 - 7 May 2025
Viewed by 157
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Physical activity plays an essential role in a healthy lifestyle. For children, the development of an encouraging attitude toward exercise can define a positive life-long behaviour. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a metabolic disorder that usually develops in early childhood and [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Physical activity plays an essential role in a healthy lifestyle. For children, the development of an encouraging attitude toward exercise can define a positive life-long behaviour. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a metabolic disorder that usually develops in early childhood and severely affects glucose metabolism. Associated hypo- and hyperglycaemic conditions can dramatically interfere with the patient’s everyday life. Since exercise significantly alters the glucose consumption of the body, this might influence how T1DM patients view physical activity. As parental guidance is critical in their children’s behaviour, we investigate how parents of T1DM children relate to the engagement in physical activity of their children as compared to parents of healthy children. Methods: A self-reported survey was conducted among those parents whose T1DM children were cared for at the Paediatric Clinic of the University of Debrecen, Hungary. All together, 318 children, 140 with T1DM and 178 healthy peers, participated in the study. Results: We found no significant difference in the body mass index of healthy and T1DM children and, furthermore, no significant difference was observed in HbA1c levels in exercising and non-exercising T1DM children. Nevertheless, while 67.6% of the healthy children regularly engage in physical activity, only 57.5% of T1DM children do so (p = 0.044). Importantly, parents whose T1DM child exercised regularly believed that daily PhysEd classes improved their children’s health and had positive effects on their attitude toward exercise. In contrast, parents of children who did not regularly exercise were significantly less convinced. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of targeted educational efforts to foster positive attitudes toward physical activity among families with T1DM children and contribute valuable insights into how parental perceptions may influence children’s engagement in exercise. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Movement Behaviors and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Pediatric Population)
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14 pages, 958 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Exergames on Physical Fitness, Body Composition and Enjoyment in Children: A Six-Month Intervention Study
by Santo Marsigliante, Giulia My, Gianmarco Mazzotta and Antonella Muscella
Children 2024, 11(10), 1172; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11101172 - 26 Sep 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2471
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Physical inactivity in children can lead to decreased physical fitness and reduced enjoyment of physical activity. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of exergaming on physical fitness, body composition and perceived enjoyment in elementary school children. Methods: Sixty-four male students (mean [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Physical inactivity in children can lead to decreased physical fitness and reduced enjoyment of physical activity. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of exergaming on physical fitness, body composition and perceived enjoyment in elementary school children. Methods: Sixty-four male students (mean age 9.5 years) were randomly assigned to an exergaming group (EG, n = 32), engaging in Kinect Adventures three times a week for six months, or a control group (CG, n = 32), which continued standard physical education. Assessments were conducted pre- and post-intervention, including anthropometric measures, physical fitness tests (standing long jump, countermovement jump, sit-and-reach, 20-m sprint), aerobic fitness (20-m shuttle run), and perceived enjoyment measured with the PACES scale. Results: The EG demonstrated significant reductions in body weight, BMI, and relative fat mass compared to the CG (p < 0.01). Improvements in physical fitness were evident in EG, with increases in standing long jump distance (+12.8%; p < 0.0001), countermovement jump height (+65%, p < 0.0001), and flexibility (+75%; p < 0.0001). Aerobic fitness improved significantly in EG (+87.8m) compared to CG. Perceived enjoyment was notably higher in EG, especially at week three, compared to CG (69.3 ± 5.8 vs. 44.2 ± 11.6; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Exergaming offers benefits for physical fitness and body composition in children, while also enhancing enjoyment. Incorporating exergames into physical education programs could be an effective strategy for addressing childhood obesity, improving physical skills, and increasing student enjoyment, encouraging long-term physical activity adherence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Movement Behaviors and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Pediatric Population)
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13 pages, 997 KiB  
Article
Associations between Biological Maturation, Chronological Age, Body Mass Index, Sex, and Motor Competence in Prepubertal Children: A Network Analysis
by Sedigheh Salami, Paulo Felipe Ribeiro Bandeira, Maryam Rahymian Mashhadi, Parvaneh Shamsipour Dehkordi, Leonardo G. O. Luz, Clarice Maria de Lucena Martins, Louise L. Hardy and Michael J. Duncan
Children 2024, 11(9), 1143; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11091143 - 20 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1458
Abstract
Background: The development of motor competence (MC) during childhood is crucial for future physical activity and health outcomes, and it is affected by both biological and psychosocial factors. Most MC research has focused on children’s age, with fewer studies examining separate associations between [...] Read more.
Background: The development of motor competence (MC) during childhood is crucial for future physical activity and health outcomes, and it is affected by both biological and psychosocial factors. Most MC research has focused on children’s age, with fewer studies examining separate associations between MC and biological maturation. Methods: This cross-sectional study used network analysis to assess the nonlinear associations between biological maturation (the child’s percentage of predicted mature stature to indicate somatic maturation), chronological age, sex, BMI, and MC (Test of Gross Motor Development, third edition) in 218 children (100 boys, 118 girls) aged 7–9 years. Results: Biological maturation was not significantly associated with MC in boys and weakly associated with MC in girls for the dribble, under-hand throw, and gallop. Age was positively associated with MC in girls and boys. Centrality measures indicated that the gallop and slide in girls and the dribble, catch, and run in boys were the most important network variables. Positive associations were observed between maturation and BMI for girls (r = 0.579) and, to a lesser degree, for boys (r = 0.267). Conclusions: The findings suggest that age, rather than biological maturation, is positively associated with MC in 7- to 9-year-olds. Centrality measures showed that some skills may influence other skills. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Movement Behaviors and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Pediatric Population)
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9 pages, 492 KiB  
Article
Associations between Agility, the Relative Age Effect, Siblings, and Digit Ratio (D2:D4) in Children and Adolescents
by Daniel González-Devesa, Alba López-Eguía, Lucas Amoedo and Carlos Ayán-Pérez
Children 2024, 11(8), 893; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11080893 - 25 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1329
Abstract
Background: This study aims to analyze the influence of relative age effects, siblings, and digit ratio on the agility of children and adolescents. Methods: The study included 283 children (9.54 ± 1.36 years) and 296 adolescents (14.68 ± 1.36 years) from four different [...] Read more.
Background: This study aims to analyze the influence of relative age effects, siblings, and digit ratio on the agility of children and adolescents. Methods: The study included 283 children (9.54 ± 1.36 years) and 296 adolescents (14.68 ± 1.36 years) from four different schools. The analyzed variables included anthropometric data, the presence of siblings, relative age effect, and results from the 10 × 5 m shuttle run test. Results: The findings indicated no significant association between agility and either the 2D:4D ratio or the relative age effect in both children and adolescents (p > 0.05). Additionally, having siblings did not have a notable impact on agility. Multiple regression analysis confirmed that relative age did not influence this lack of association (quarter of birth: p = 0.345, β = 0.039; siblings: p = 0.100, β = −0.069). However, boys showed higher performance than girls in the 10 × 5 m shuttle run test, and higher body mass index was related to lower agility. Conclusions: These findings contribute to existing knowledge on the relative effects of age and provide valuable information for physical education teachers on the influence of the 2D:4D ratio and the presence of siblings on the physical fitness of children and adolescents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Movement Behaviors and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Pediatric Population)
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11 pages, 1011 KiB  
Article
Construct Validity of the Athlete Introductory Movement Screen in Grassroots Footballers Aged 11–13 Years
by Michael J Duncan, Matteo Crotti, Ricardo Martins, Lucas Guimaraes-Ferreira, Jason Tallis and William Pattison
Children 2024, 11(7), 879; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11070879 - 19 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1330
Abstract
Background: This study examined the construct validity of the Athlete Introductory Movement Screen (AIMS) in children. Methods: Following ethics approval, parental consent, and child assent, 87 children (50 boys, 37 girls) aged 11–13 years (Mean ± SD = 12.4 ± 0.6 years) performed [...] Read more.
Background: This study examined the construct validity of the Athlete Introductory Movement Screen (AIMS) in children. Methods: Following ethics approval, parental consent, and child assent, 87 children (50 boys, 37 girls) aged 11–13 years (Mean ± SD = 12.4 ± 0.6 years) performed the AIMS and Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-3) in a counterbalanced order. AIMS tertiles were subsequently created, classifying children with ‘high’, ‘medium’, or ‘low’ movement skills. Results: A 2 (Gender) X 3 (AIMS tertile) ways analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), controlling for age and age at peak height velocity, with TGMD-3 scores as the dependant variable, indicated that TGMD-3 scores were significantly higher for girls categorised as having a medium movement skill compared to girls categorised as low, and those categorised having high movement skill compared to medium and low movement skill groups (all, p = 0.001). There was no difference in TGMD-3 scores for boys classed as having low and medium movement skills. Boys categorised as high for movement skills had significantly greater TGMD-3 scores than their peers categorised as having both low and medium movement skills (p = 0.001). Conclusions: As the AIMS differentiates the theoretically related construct of motor competence, this study demonstrates that the AIMS has construct validity as a measure of movement skill in children aged 11–13 years. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Movement Behaviors and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Pediatric Population)
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Review

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23 pages, 2472 KiB  
Review
Mapping Evidence on Integrated 24-Hour Movement Behaviors in Children and Adolescents: A Scoping Review of Reviews
by Andressa Ferreira da Silva, Priscila Custódio Martins, Leandro Narciso Santiago and Diego Augusto Santos Silva
Children 2025, 12(3), 260; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12030260 - 20 Feb 2025
Viewed by 930
Abstract
Background: There has been a substantial increase in research on the new 24-hour movement paradigm, emphasizing the importance of considering the “whole day” and investigating integrated movement behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep). This scoping review aims to map the evidence from [...] Read more.
Background: There has been a substantial increase in research on the new 24-hour movement paradigm, emphasizing the importance of considering the “whole day” and investigating integrated movement behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep). This scoping review aims to map the evidence from reviews that have summarized information on integrated 24-hour movement behaviors in children and adolescents. Methods: Eight databases were searched in May 2023, with an update in October 2024. The review followed the PRISMA-ScR framework and the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewer’s Manual. Results: National 24-hour movement guidelines for children and adolescents exist in only a few countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa). There is a lack of valid and reliable measurement tools for assessing 24-hour movement. Globally, children and adolescents, with and without disabilities, show low adherence to these guidelines. Reallocating time to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was beneficial, while other reallocations had mixed results to health. COVID-19 reduced physical activity and increased screen time and sleep. Healthy movement behaviors are positively associated with better health outcomes in children and adolescents. There is a possible relationship between adherence to 24-hour movement behaviors and cognitive function, pollution measures, and eHealth interventions. Inconsistencies were identified in the terms used. Conclusions: High-quality research is needed to develop measurement tools that assess the long-term health impact of 24-hour movement and to create solutions for improving adherence, mainly in countries lacking specific guidelines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Movement Behaviors and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Pediatric Population)
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