Assessment of Physical Literacy in 6-11 years old Children: Findings from the Play Lifestyle & Activity in Youth (PLAY) Study

Abstract

Abstract Background: Physical illiteracy is often referred as a lack of movement competence and is a serious concern, especially among children. Physical tests to evaluate physical literacy are understudied, especially potential sex effects. To evaluate selected tests of physical literacy in children and to compare the outcomes by sex.Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used to evaluate children 6 -11 years who completed five physical tests: hand grip, vertical jump, sit and reach, Y-balance, and obstacle course (time and score). The obstacle course consisted of hopping, kicking a ball, catching a ball, throwing a ball, and sliding tasks. Outcome measures including test results were descriptively examined and compared by sex using the Wilcoxon rank sum test, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The study cohort was comprised of 133 children (62 males and 71 females, with a median age of 7.8 years). The median values for the physical tests were 34.0 kg in hand grip, 22.3 cm in vertical jump, -4.2 cm in sit and reach, 165.3 composite score in Y-balance, 36.3 seconds in obstacle course time, and 29.0 points in obstacle course points. Girls showed superior sit and reach performance (p=0.002) compared to boys. Boys demonstrated better Y-balance scores (p=0.007) and faster obstacle time (p=0.042) than girls. Sex comparison within three age groups (6 - <8 years, 8 - <10 years, and 10 - <12 years) showed that girls performed better on the sit and reach compared to boys in the in 6 - <8 years (p=0.009). Boys demonstrated higher Y-balance scores (p=0.017) and faster obstacle time (p=0.007) compared to girls in the 8 - <10-year age group. Conclusions: Children 6-11 years showed notable sex differences in selected tests of physical literacy. Girls demonstrated better flexibility than boys in early childhood (6 - <8 years) while boys demonstrated superior balance and faster obstacle course time compared to girls, especially in 8 - <10 years. These data will serve to guide future efforts to evaluate normative measures physical literacy and guide targeted training interventions to promote sustained physical activity in children with deficits relative to their age and sex norms.