Participating in a School-Integrated Daily Exercise Program Improves Motor Performance Significantly in School-Children

Denise Homeyer (), Nima Memaran, Momme Kück, Lena Grams, Jeannine von der Born, Elena Bauer, Martina Schwalba, Arno Kerling, Nadine von Maltzahn, Alexander Albrecht, Axel Haverich, Meike Stiesch, Anette Melk and Uwe Tegtbur
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Denise Homeyer: Department of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Nima Memaran: Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Momme Kück: Department of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Lena Grams: Department of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Jeannine von der Born: Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Elena Bauer: Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Martina Schwalba: Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Arno Kerling: Department of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Nadine von Maltzahn: Department for Dental Prosthodontics and Biomedical Materials Science, Center for Dentistry and Oral Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Alexander Albrecht: Department of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Axel Haverich: Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation, and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Meike Stiesch: Department for Dental Prosthodontics and Biomedical Materials Science, Center for Dentistry and Oral Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Anette Melk: Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Uwe Tegtbur: Department of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 6, 1-12

Abstract: Children’s sedentary time has increased, while daily physical activity and motor performance have decreased. We evaluated an integrated school-based exercise program by assessing changes in motor skills after one year and comparing these changes to children who did not participate. We included 303 children from five schools in this longitudinal study and assigned them either to the exercise group (EG; n = 183 with daily exercise program) or the waiting group (WG; n = 120). Motor skills were assessed at baseline and after one year. Mixed modeling was used to analyze inter-group differences of change in motor skills and to determine the effect of sex, age group, and weight status. EG improved more strongly than WG for sprint, side jumps (both p = 0.017), stand and reach ( p = 0.012), and ergometry ( p ≤ 0.001) when compared to WG. Girls improved more strongly in the sit-ups than boys, second graders more than fifth graders in the backwards balance and the ergometry, and non-overweight children more in the standing long jump than overweight children. The exercise program is effective in increasing motor skills and physical fitness. Girls were not disadvantaged, and overweight children profited as much as their non-overweight peers in all categories but one.

Keywords: physical activity; motor skill; exercise; ergometry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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