Study: DCU’s Dr Stephen Behan was part of the extensive study into children mastering basic skills

One in four Irish children cannot run properly, half cannot kick a ball properly, and fewer than one in five can throw a ball, according to an alarming new study.

The research by Dublin City University (DCU) involved more than 2,000 youngsters aged five to 12 on the island of Ireland.

Researchers found that a large proportion of the children had not mastered basic skills such as running, jumping, catching and kicking by the age of 10, at which point they made no further progress.

Children should be able to master these skills - known as fundamental movement skills (FMS) - by the age of eight.

They are the basic building blocks of more complex movements. If a child hasn't acquired them by 10, they are at risk of becoming self-conscious when participating in physical activities or sports and, in turn, disengaged.

Children were tested in locomotor skills such as running, skipping and jumping.

They were also tested in object control, involving actions such as catching and throwing, and a balance test.

By the age of 12, only 53pc had mastered locomotor skills, 55pc scored in object control skills and 61pc of children achieved mastery/near mastery in balance.

There were some notable gender differences, with boys displaying a greater proficiency in ball skills, such as throwing and catching, while girls scored higher in skills requiring control of the body such as balance and skipping.

Such differences may be explained by the greater take-up by girls in gymnastics and dance, while boys are more likely to play rugby and soccer, although boys and girls have a huge involvement in Gaelic games overall.

DCU's Dr Stephen Behan expressed concern about the results, which he said were the most comprehensive of its kind ever produced in Ireland.

He said a solid foundation of basic movement skills was what allowed children to take part in a multitude of physical activities, and to feel confident in trying new things.

"There is a lot of attention on childhood obesity and low participation rates in sport - a focus on the fundamental movement skills in young children could be key in tackling both," he said.

His colleague, Dr Johann Issartel, said the findings highlighted core issues that teachers, parents and coaches needed to address.

"If the current generation of children can't throw and catch in basic situations, why would they choose to play if they aren't good at it? 'It is not fun', that's what they say, and if it is not fun they won't play," he said.

The findings, published in the 'Journal of Sports Sciences', emerged from data gathered as part of a wider research project called Moving Well-Being Well. The project is a collaboration between DCU's School of Health and Human Performance, the DCU-based Insight Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Data Analytics and the GAA.

'Pupils need more exercise in school to reduce anxiety'

The proven link between childhood fitness and long-term physical and mental health is the key focus of a programme aimed at second-level students.

The annual initiative has been shown to improve teen fitness levels by an average of 10pc.

It is being launched today by health and fitness expert Professor Niall Moyna of the School of Health and Human Performance in Dublin City University (DCU).

He said the goal of this year's programme was to equip young people with the skills and knowledge to incorporate exercise into their daily routine to help improve and maintain both their physical and mental health.

Now entering its ninth year, the Irish Life Health Schools' Fitness Challenge is the third largest study of its kind in the world.

Prof Moyna referred to the findings in the MyWorld survey last year, which revealed that rates of severe or very severe anxiety among adolescents in Ireland had doubled to 22pc in 2019.

He said aside from the obvious physical health benefits of exercise, it is proven to also have a positive impact on mental wellbeing.

"It is vital that we place a greater emphasis on exercise in secondary schools especially as children progress through school when exam and other social pressures increase," said Prof Moyna.

Prof Barbara Dooley of UCD's School of Psychology, the lead investigator in the MyWorld survey, said depression and anxiety were two of the major problems affecting students in Ireland.

She said the statistics pointed to a link between being physically active, through sport for example, and lower levels of anxiety and depression.

Irish Independent