Hirohisa Kano

Introduction: The development of coordination abilities and fundamental motor skills in early childhood plays a crucial role in promoting physical activity and preventing obesity. However, only a few studies have investigated the developmental characteristics of coordination abilities during early childhood. Therefore, we used jumping distance control as a motor task to examine the developmental characteristics of orientation and differentiation abilities in early childhood.Methods: We included 318 children aged 3.5–6 years. The motor task was a box target jump test in which the participants jumped from a box approximately 30 cm in height, such that their heels were aligned with a target line 40 cm away. Each participant performed the test two times. The performance results from the two box jump test trials were analyzed by comparing the mean errors of the first and second trials, along with a more detailed examination through the analysis of the performance level ratios between the two trials.Results: While the participants aged 3.5 years displayed insufficient accuracy and a strong tendency toward underdevelopment (low-performance percentage for 3.5 years: 1st = 38.3%, 2nd = 38.3%, p < 0.001), immediate feedback effects began to appear at the age of 4 years (low-performance percentage for 4 years: 1st = 21.3%, 2nd = 14.9%). Behavioral changes, such as improved accuracy between trials, became more evident from 4.5 years of age. These results suggest an emerging capacity for motor adjustment or imagery, although no direct assessment of motor imagery was conducted in this study, and such interpretations remain speculative. By approximately 5 years of age, participants obtained a certain level of immediate feedback effect.Conclusion: These findings provide insight into the developmental characteristics of coordination abilities in early childhood and could help inform age-appropriate physical education approaches that support movement awareness and adaptive motor control.

To discuss appropriate physical activity (PA) levels during pregnancy, this prospective cohort study examined the relationships between PA levels before and during pregnancy and physical and mental health status. Fixed data for 104,102 pregnant women were used from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study, of which data for 82,919 women were analyzed after excluding women with multiple birth and pregnancy complications. PA levels were measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. The 8-Item Short Form Health Survey was used to measure outcomes. Logistic regression with multiple imputations showed that moderate PA for over 720 min/wk and vigorous PA before pregnancy were associated with poorer mental health in the first trimester (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.087–1.376. Walking in the second and third trimesters was associated with better physical and mental health (AOR: 0.855–0.932). Moderate PA over 1080 min/wk and vigorous PA in the second and third trimesters were associated with poorer mental health (AOR: 1.223–1.873). Increases over 4135.4 MET–min/wk and decreases in PA levels were associated with poorer mental and physical health (AOR: 1.070–1.333). Namely, pregnant women receiving health benefits prefer continuous walking in addition to avoiding vigorous PA and excessive changes in PA levels during pregnancy.