Early skills pay off

There may be a way to predict whether young children will grow into active teens -- or fall prey to a more sedentary lifestyle. The key? Motor skills.

A recent study found a link between object-control skills in childhood and fitness in adolescence. A study published in the December issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise put 276 elementary school kids in New South Wales, Australia, through movement skill tests. Three were related to object control (kicking, catching and overhand throwing) and four were focused on locomotor skills (hopping, side galloping, vertical jumping and sprinting). Six years later, 244 students had their cardio-respiratory fitness measured by running timed laps. Boys and girls who had good object-control skills (scores of 10 or more out of 15) ran, on average, six extra laps than those with poor object-control skills (scores of 5 or lower out of 15).

Researchers believe that object-control skills are often connected with participation in sports and other activities. Students who are good at these skills may be more likely to engage in recreational or organized sports, upping their fitness levels.

In the study they wrote, "Our findings suggest that object control skills should be targeted through school and community interventions as a key strategy in promoting subsequent cardiorespiratory fitness. It is important that such skills are taught during the primary or elementary school years as children are at an optimal age in terms of motor skill learning."

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jeannine.stein@latimes.com