Impact of Motor Competence Profiles on Adolescents’ Physical Activity and Cardiorespiratory Fitness across Four Years

Introduction Physical activity levels have decreased over past decades with most adolescents neither meeting the current physical activity recommendations nor demonstrating adequate cardiorespiratory fitness. Motor competence (MC) is foundational for a physically active lifestyle; however, children demonstrate significant differences in their levels of MC in a broad foundation of movement skills. This study investigated developmental patterns of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in children across 4 years based on their longitudinal MC profiles. Methods The data included annual measurements of MC, accelerometry-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and cardiorespiratory fitness over 4 years from the age 11 to 15 (n = 1147, girls 582, boys 565). Latent profile analysis was used to identify longitudinal MC profiles and latent growth curve modeling to examine intercepts and slopes (s) of MVPA and cardiorespiratory fitness in these MC profiles. Results Three different longitudinal MC profiles were identified: low, moderate, and high. The MC profiles showed significant differences in intercepts of cardiorespiratory fitness and MVPA. The high MC profile showed the highest intercepts for both, but also a statistically significant decline in MVPA over time (s = -3.36, p < .001). Cardiorespiratory fitness increased similarly in all three profiles over time: low (s = 1.20, p < .01), moderate (s = 1.28, p < .001), high (s = 2.21, p < .001). Conclusions These results highlight the long-term associations between different MC profiles and development of MVPA and cardiorespiratory fitness. Adolescents with lower MC demonstrated lower levels of MVPA and cardiorespiratory fitness, indicating decreased participation in physical activities that can optimally enhance cardiorespiratory fitness. However, significant differences in MVPA levels between MC profiles faded over time in adolescence, whereas significant differences in cardiorespiratory fitness remained.