Mediation analysis of fundamental movement skills, physical activity, fitness, and BMI in primary school children
6 affiliations
- 1Centre of Research, Education, Innovation and Intervention in Sport (CIFI2D), Faculty of Sport, University of Porto
- 2Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago
- 3Department of Exercise Science, Syracuse University
- 4Motor Behavior Laboratory, School of Physical Education and Sports, University of São Paulo
- 5Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute
- 6Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the relationship between fundamental movement skills (FMS) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in children, with physical fitness (PF) and body mass index (BMI) as potential mediating factors. The sample included 1014 Portuguese children (540 girls) aged 6–10 years from the REACT project. MVPA was measured using wrist-worn accelerometers over 7 days. BMI z-scores were calculated. PF assessment included: standing long jump, handgrip strength, shuttle-run, 50-yard dash, and pacer; all test scores were standardized and summed to generate an overall PF score. The Meu Educativo platform was used to assess five object control FMS. FMS were factor analyzed and derived factor scores were standardized to generate an overall FMS score. A serial mediation model was tested. Showed a significant total effect of FMS on MVPA (b = 10.574, SE = 1.059, p < 0.001). PF was the principal specific mediator of the FMS-MVPA relationship (b = 2.748, SE = 0.559, p < 0.001). BMI did not mediate this association independently (b=-0.181, SE = 0.139, p > 0.05). However, the serial pathway through PF followed by BMI (FMS -> PF -> BMI -> MVPA) was statistically significant, though smaller in magnitude (b = 0.395, SE = 0.134, p < 0.05). Together, PF and BMI mediated 28.0% of the FMS-MVPA relationship. FMS was associated with MVPA directly and indirectly, primarily through PF, with BMI playing a role only within the sequential PF-to-BMI pathway.
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BibTeX
@article{pereira2026mediation,
title = {{Mediation analysis of fundamental movement skills, physical activity, fitness, and BMI in primary school children}},
author = {Sara Pereira and Fernando Garbeloto and Donald Hedeker and Tiago V. Barreira and Rui Garganta and Cláudio Farias and Go Tani and Jean-Philippe Chaput and José Maia and Peter T. Katzmarzyk},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-61893-w},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-61893-w},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Mediation analysis of fundamental movement skills, physical activity, fitness, and BMI in primary school children
AU - Sara Pereira
AU - Fernando Garbeloto
AU - Donald Hedeker
AU - Tiago V. Barreira
AU - Rui Garganta
AU - Cláudio Farias
AU - Go Tani
AU - Jean-Philippe Chaput
AU - José Maia
AU - Peter T. Katzmarzyk
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-61893-w
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-61893-w
AB - This study aims to investigate the relationship between fundamental movement skills (FMS) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in children, with physical fitness (PF) and body mass index (BMI) as potential mediating factors. The sample included 1014 Portuguese children (540 girls) aged 6–10 years from the REACT project. MVPA was measured using wrist-worn accelerometers over 7 days. BMI z-scores were calculated. PF assessment included: standing long jump, handgrip strength, shuttle-run, 50-yard dash, and pacer; all test scores were standardized and summed to generate an overall PF score. The Meu Educativo platform was used to assess five object control FMS. FMS were factor analyzed and derived factor scores were standardized to generate an overall FMS score. A serial mediation model was tested. Showed a significant total effect of FMS on MVPA (b = 10.574, SE = 1.059, p < 0.001). PF was the principal specific mediator of the FMS-MVPA relationship (b = 2.748, SE = 0.559, p < 0.001). BMI did not mediate this association independently (b=-0.181, SE = 0.139, p > 0.05). However, the serial pathway through PF followed by BMI (FMS -> PF -> BMI -> MVPA) was statistically significant, though smaller in magnitude (b = 0.395, SE = 0.134, p < 0.05). Together, PF and BMI mediated 28.0% of the FMS-MVPA relationship. FMS was associated with MVPA directly and indirectly, primarily through PF, with BMI playing a role only within the sequential PF-to-BMI pathway.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -