Influence of Preschool Children's Fundamental Movement Skills, Physical Activity, and Physical Fitness on Executive Function: A Prospective Observation Study

Influence of Preschool Children's Fundamental Movement Skills, Physical Activity, and Physical Fitness on Executive Function: A Prospective Observation Study

Background: Early childhood is the most critical and rapid period of complete and healthy physical and cognitive development in human life. Executive function appears in early childhood and develops rapidly through complex coaction between environment and developmental processes. The preschool period is also characterized by a rapid growth in fundamental movement skills, physical activity and physical fitness. The scientific research on the relationship between fundamental movement skills, physical activity, physical fitness and executive function in preschoolers remains to be explored.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the cross-sectional relationship between fundamental movement skills, physical activity, physical fitness and executive function in preschool children while controlling for potential confounding variables, examine the prospective influence (independent and interactive role) of preschooler's fundamental movement skills, physical activity and physical fitness on executive function, observe the preschoolers' fundamental movement skills, physical activity, physical fitness and executive function changes with age, and investigate gender and age differences in preschoolers' fundamental movement skills, physical activity, physical fitness and executive function.

Method: The proposed study consists of two phases, phase 1 is a cross-sectional study. Five hundred and five children aged 3-5 years will be recruited. The Test of Gross Motor Development Third Edition (TGMD-3) was used to assess children's fundamental movement skills. Preschool children's physical activity was monitored by accelerometer ActiGraph GT3X-BT. Physical fitness was tested using handgrip, 4*10m shuttle run, 20m shuttle run, 30s sit-ups, sit and reach, and balance beam. Executive function was tested by computer-based tasks including animal stroop, safari training and stop signal task. Phase 2 is a 12-month follow-up study. In the phase 2, all children enrolled in the baseline study will be followed up, the measurements and contents of the follow-up are the same as the baseline instrument.

Inclusion Criteria:

• aged 3-5 years
• normally developing children with corresponding cognitive ability to participate in the data collection
• without heart, lung, liver, kidney and other important organ diseases or any neurological disorders (e.g., intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder) that prevent children from performing normal PA.

Exclusion Criteria:

• children with cognitive disability
• with heart, lung, liver, kidney and other important organ diseases or any neurological disorders (e.g., intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder) that prevent children from performing normal PA.