Associations of Early-Age Children’s Motor Development With Their Mothers’ Physical Activity

Abstract

Background. Physical activity and movement is a key factor in motor development. The physical activity of parents is associated with the physical activity of their children.

The aim. To determine the correlations between the motor development of early-age children and the level of physical activity of mothers.

Methods. 32 early-age children (from 6 months to 36 months) were assessed for motor development according to the Peabody (PDMS-2) movement test. The physical activity of the children’s mothers was assessed according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The child’s motor development and physical activity were assessed using a questionnaire for mothers.

Results. The average value of the motor development coefcient of early-age children was 107.66±7.02 points; 53 percent of children reached an average level of motor development, and 47 percent of children’s motor development level was rated above average. The average value of the physical activity of the mothers was evaluated as a high level of physical activity and was 3638.09±2191.31 MET. 44
percent of mothers have a high level of physical activity, 53 percent – an average and 3 percent. – low.
Conclusions. The coefcient of motor development was higher in those earlyage children whose parents’ physical activity level was moderate or high. It was established that the less time parents devote to intense or moderately intense physical activity, the less time they devote to children’s physical activity; the more time mothers spend walking, the more time children spend outside.

Keywords: children, motor development, mothers, physical activity.