Fundamental movement skill proficiency, physical activity and body mass index of Grade 1 learners
Fundamental movement skills (FMS) serve as the building blocks for basic movement patterns, which are necessary for the development of more complex motor skills.
Proficiency in FMS has been linked to improved health outcomes, including increased participation in physical activity (PA) and optimal body composition. However, there is limited research on the status and association between FMS, PA and body mass index (BMI) among South African children. This study examined the status and interrelationship between FMS proficiency, PA status and BMI of Grade 1 learners from a low-income community in Gqeberha.
A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, with 99 Grade 1 learners from five quintile 3 schools participating in the study. FMS, PA and BMI were assessed using the Test for Gross Motor Development - Third edition (TGMD-3), Actigraph accelerometers, and height and weight measurements, respectively. The results reported poor proficiency in FMS, no learner achieved mastery in all 13 FMS items and 23.2% failed to achieve mastery in any of the FMS. The majority of learners (77.9%) met the WHO PA guidelines, with school-based PA being the largest contributor. The majority of learners had a normal weight status (77.8%). Boys outperformed girls in three of the ball skills as well as the overall ball skills (p<0.05), achieved significantly higher MVPA across all PA categories (p<0.05), and had a lower prevalence of overweight and obesity compared to girls. Vigorous PA (VPA) correlated positively with ball skills for all PA categories (p<0.05), as well as with the locomotor subset during total, weekday and school daytime PA (p<0.05). A weak negative correlation was observed between BMI and the underhand throw (p<0.05).
Overall, the findings highlighted poor FMS proficiency relative to developmental milestones, especially among girls. These findings highlight the need for PA-focused interventions to enhance FMS proficiency and maintain healthy body composition of learners in low-income communities.
For more information: MSc Mooveshni Dumalingam (mooveshni.dumalingam@cluttermandela.ac.za) or her post-graduate thesis (May 2025, Nelson Mandela University): Fundamental movement skill proficiency, physical activity and body mass index of Grade 1 learners from a low-income community in Gqeberha or her Supervisor: Prof. em. Cheryl Walter (cheryl.walter@cluttermandela.ac.za)