Doctoral defence: Kirkke Reisberg "Longitudinal associations between body fatness, physical fitness, physical activity, and cognitive skills in preschoolers"

On May 15th Kirkke Reisberg will defend her thesis "Longitudinal associations between body fatness, physical fitness, physical activity, and cognitive skills in preschoolers".

Supervisors:
Research fellow Eva-Maria Riso, University of Tartu
Professor Jaak Jürimäe, University of Tartu

Opoonent:
Associate professor Rima Solianik, Lithuanian Sports University

Summary:
In addition to the obesity epidemic, children spend too much time engaged in sedentary activities and often do not follow recommended physical activity guidelines. Adequate physical activity and good physical fitness at an early age have a positive impact on physical, mental, and cognitive development. The transition from preschool to school marks an important period in a child’s educational and personal development, as school readiness sets standards in various developmental domains. At the same time, it is not clearly understood how the preschool period influences children's further development in school. The aim of this doctoral thesis was to investigate the longitudinal associations between body fatness, physical fitness, physical activity, sedentary time, and cognitive skills in Estonian preschool boys and girls from Tartu County transitioning from kindergarten to school. The body fat percentage was measured using the caliper method, physical fitness was assessed using handgrip strength test as well as jump and running tests, physical activity was measured with accelerometers, and cognitive skills were evaluated using the Boehm test in the last year of kindergarten and the first year of school. The results of the study revealed that girls' lower sedentary time and higher muscular fitness in kindergarten were associated with lower body fatness in school, while no such associations were found in boys. The physical activity of boys and girls in kindergarten was not associated with body fatness in school. Additionally, the physical activity of boys and girls in kindergarten was not associated with physical fitness in school. The body fatness and cardiopulmonary fitness of boys and girls in kindergarten were not associated with cognitive skills (conceptual, verbal, and perceptual skills) in school. However, higher muscular fitness in kindergarten was associated with better verbal skills in school, but only in boys. In conclusion, current study involving children from Tartu County, found that for girls, reducing time spent on sedentary activities and engaging in muscle-strengthening activities during the preschool period may help reduce the risk of excessive weight gain during school age. On the other hand, for boys, participation in muscle-strengthening activities during preschool may be beneficial for supporting the development of verbal abilities while studying in first grade.