Correlation between Language Development and Motor Skills, Physical Activity, and Leisure Time Behaviour in Preschool-Aged Children

Daniela Mulé, Ilka Jeger, Jörg Dötsch, Florian Breido, Nina Ferrari, Christine Joisten

Publication: Contribution to journalJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Sedentary behaviour has a negative impact on children’s physical and mental health. However, limited data are available on language development. Therefore, this pilot study aimed to analyse the associations between language development and possible predictors such as motor skills and leisure time behaviour in preschool-aged children. Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis, motor skills and speech development status were assessed in 49 healthy preschool children. Physical activity and screen time were assessed via a parental questionnaire. Results: On average, physical activity was 8.2 ± 6.5 h/week; mean screen time was 154.2 ± 136.2 min/week. A positive relationship between the results in the item ‘One-leg stand’ and ‘Phonological working memory for nonwords’ (β-coefficient −0.513; p < 0.001) resp. ‘Formation of morphological rules’ (β-coefficient −0.626; p = 0.004) was shown within backward stepwise regression. ‘Lateral jumping’, resp. ‘Sit and Reach’ were positively associated with ‘Understanding sentences’ (β-coefficient 0.519; p = 0.001 resp. β-coefficient 0.735; p = 0.002). ‘Physical inactivity’ correlated negatively with all language development subtests (each p < 0.05). Media consumption had a negative predictive effect on the subdomain ‘Understanding Sentences’ (β-coefficient −0.530, p = 0.003). Conclusions: An inactive lifestyle correlated negatively with selected subtests of language development in early childhood. These results should be verified in larger groups and longitudinally but support the need for early health promotion.
Original languageEnglish
Article number431
JournalChildren (Basel, Switzerland)
Volume9
Issue number3
Number of pages16
ISSN2227-9067
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 18.03.2022

Research areas and keywords

  • KiMo-Test
  • SETK 3-5
  • inactivity
  • media consumption
  • motor skills
  • overweight

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