Associations Between Motor Competence, Health-Related Physical Fitness, and Mental Health Outcomes in Spanish Adolescents: The ENERGYCO Study

IF 1.9 4区医学 Q1 ANTHROPOLOGY

American Journal of Human Biology Pub Date : 2026-08-04 DOI:10.1002/ajhb.70318

Víctor Manuel Valle-Muñoz, Manuel Ávila-García, Pablo Campos-Garzón, Unai A. Pérez De Arrilucea Le Floc’h, Isaac Estevan, Emilio Villa-González

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Motor competence (MC) has been proposed as an important correlate of physical and mental health during youth. However, evidence examining its associations with both health-related physical fitness and mental health in Spanish adolescents remains limited.

Objective

To examine the associations between objectively assessed MC and health-related physical fitness and mental health in Spanish adolescents.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 273 adolescents (46.9% girls; 12–17 years). MC was assessed using the Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency Short Form (BOT-2 SF). Anthropometric measures, physical fitness, and mental health were assessed using validated protocols and questionnaires. Two-level linear mixed-effects and generalized estimating equation logistic regression models were adjusted for sex, biological maturation, socioeconomic status, and self-reported physical activity.

Results

Higher MC was consistently associated with more favorable health-related physical fitness outcomes (all p < 0.001) and with a greater likelihood of meeting established health-related physical fitness criteria. MC was inversely associated with waist-to-height ratio (p = 0.028), whereas no consistent associations were observed with other anthropometric measures or mental health outcomes.

Conclusion

Higher MC was consistently associated with health-related physical fitness in Spanish adolescents, whereas associations with anthropometric measures and mental health were limited. Future adequately powered longitudinal and intervention studies are warranted to clarify the directionality of these relationships.

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西班牙青少年运动能力、健康相关体质和心理健康结果之间的关系：ENERGYCO研究

运动能力（MC）是青少年身心健康的重要相关指标。然而，关于其与西班牙青少年健康相关的身体健康和心理健康之间关系的证据仍然有限。目的探讨西班牙青少年客观评定的MC与健康相关体质和心理健康的关系。方法对273名青少年进行横断面研究，其中女孩占46.9%，年龄12-17岁。MC采用bruinink - oseretsky运动能力短表测验（BOT-2 SF）进行评估。采用有效的方案和问卷对人体测量、身体健康和心理健康进行评估。双水平线性混合效应和广义估计方程逻辑回归模型对性别、生物成熟度、社会经济地位和自我报告的身体活动进行了调整。高MC始终与更有利的健康相关体质结果相关（均p <； 0.001），并且更有可能符合既定的健康相关体质标准。MC与腰高比呈负相关（p = 0.028），而与其他人体测量指标或心理健康结果没有一致的关联。结论：较高的MC与西班牙青少年健康相关的体质一致相关，而与人体测量测量和心理健康的关联有限。未来有必要进行充分有力的纵向和干预研究，以阐明这些关系的方向性。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

American Journal of Human Biology 生物-生物学

CiteScore

4.80

自引率

13.80%

发文量

124

审稿时长

4-8 weeks

期刊介绍： The American Journal of Human Biology is the Official Journal of the Human Biology Association. The American Journal of Human Biology is a bimonthly, peer-reviewed, internationally circulated journal that publishes reports of original research, theoretical articles and timely reviews, and brief communications in the interdisciplinary field of human biology. As the official journal of the Human Biology Association, the Journal also publishes abstracts of research presented at its annual scientific meeting and book reviews relevant to the field. The Journal seeks scholarly manuscripts that address all aspects of human biology, health, and disease, particularly those that stress comparative, developmental, ecological, or evolutionary perspectives. The transdisciplinary areas covered in the Journal include, but are not limited to, epidemiology, genetic variation, population biology and demography, physiology, anatomy, nutrition, growth and aging, physical performance, physical activity and fitness, ecology, and evolution, along with their interactions. The Journal publishes basic, applied, and methodologically oriented research from all areas, including measurement, analytical techniques and strategies, and computer applications in human biology. Like many other biologically oriented disciplines, the field of human biology has undergone considerable growth and diversification in recent years, and the expansion of the aims and scope of the Journal is a reflection of this growth and membership diversification. The Journal is committed to prompt review, and priority publication is given to manuscripts with novel or timely findings, and to manuscripts of unusual interest.