The effects of daily physical activity intervention on physical fitness in preschool children

• Published in: Journal of sports sciences 2022, Vol.40 (2), p.146-155
• Main Authors: Mačak, Draženka, Popović, Boris, Babić, Nataša, Cadenas-Sanchez, Cristina, Madić, Dejan M., Trajković, Nebojša
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: child; Child, Preschool; Children; Children & youth; Exercise; Exercise Test; Female; fitness; Hand Strength; Humans; Male; Muscle Strength; Physical activity; Physical Fitness; Preschool children; training
• ISSN: 0264-0414; 1466-447X
• DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2021.1978250

The study aimed to determine the effects of 6 months daily physical activity on physical fitness in preschool children. A total of 72 children (36 boys) and 92 children (47 boys) composed the experimental (EG) and control group (CG), respectively. We used the PREFIT battery access physical fitness. In EG, participants had 45 minutes of organized physical activity 5 days per week. The CG continued their usual routine with 30 minutes of structured physical activity two times per week. The EG improved the mean performance of grip strength (η =0.08) and sit-ups in the 30s ( =0.16) to a significantly greater extent as compared to the CG. In boys, the improvements of mean performance of handgrip strength (η =0.13), 4x10m shuttle run η =0.09), standing long jump (η =0.05), sit-ups in 30s (η =0.17) were significantly greater in EG than in the CG. However, girls in EG only had significant improvements  in the sit-ups in the 30 s test compared to CG (η =0.14). Overall, our study shows that after 6 months of daily exercise programme, preschool children improved muscular strength compared to those peers allocated in the control group. No significant differences between groups were found in the remaining fitness components analysed.