Weight status and gender-related differences in motor skills and in child care - based physical activity in young children

Table 3 Motor skills, physical activity and sedentary activities according to gender

		Gender
Motor Scores ^a	Boys	Girls	ß-coefficient (95% CI)
Basic Motor Score	*n = 268*	*n = 261*
	12.56 ± 3.62	12.44 ± 3.27	-0.18 (-0.64 to 0.27)
	*n = 210*	*n = 201*
Integral Motor Score	14.27 ± 4.06	14.28 ± 3.58	-0.27 (-0.85 to 0.30)
Physical Activity	*n = 120*	*n = 131*
Total physical activity (counts/min)	641 ± 220	574 ± 195	-68.7 (-115.0 to -22.3) **
Sedentary (epochs/hour < 37.5 counts)	127 ± 23	134 ± 20	6.5 (1.4 to 11.5) **
MVPA (epochs/hour ≥ 420 counts)	32 ± 14	26 ± 11	-6.2 (-9.1 to -3.3) ***
VPA (epochs/hour ≥ 842 counts)	9 ± 6	7 ± 5	-1.8 (-3.0 to -0.5) **

Values are means ± standard deviation and β-coefficients with 95% confidence intervals. Variables were analyzed using a multiple linear regression, adjusted for age and child care center (cluster).
^a Basic Motor Score: Reference score for motor skills: sum of all 5 motor skills (running, climbing stairs, balancing on a beam, getting up, landing after jumping); Integral Motor Score: sum of 6 motor skills including the jumping on one leg skill Significant gender differences (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001).
MVPA: moderate-and-vigorous physical activity; VPA: vigorous physical activity.

ISSN: 1471-2431