Effects of Different Game-based Physical Activity Programs on Body Composition in Chinese Preschool Children

Sha Qu^1*Yueyu Feng¹Wenjing Song²Zihao Wang³Zan Gao⁴Xing Zhao^1*

• ¹Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
• ²School of Physical Education, Xihua University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
• ³Shanxi Sports Vocational School, Shanxi, China
• ⁴The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

Background: PA is crucial for childhood obesity prevention, yet many children fail to meet recommended PA levels. Existing research primarily examines BMI rather than a detailed analysis of body composition, with gendersex differences remaining uncertain. This study explores the effects of different PA interventions (LPA vs. MVPA) on body composition in Chinese preschoolers. This study utilized experimental design with repeated measures, involving 86 preschool children. Participants were randomly assigned to either the LPA or MVPA group and participated in an 8-week intervention, consisting of three 30-minute sessions per week. Body composition was assessed pre-and post-intervention using BIA, while dietary intake was evaluated through 24-hour dietary recalls. Data analysis included repeated-measures MANCOVA, with dietary intake controlled as a covariate.Results: There were no significant interaction effects of Group × Time, and Group × Time × GenderSex for any variables. A small but significant GenderSex × Time interaction for BMI was detected (F(1,71) = 4.41, p = 0.04, 𝜂 ! " = 0.06). There was no significant group effect for any variable.Significant time effects were observed for total body water (TBW) (p < 0.01, 𝜂 ! " = 0.17), skeletal muscle mass (SMM) (p < 0.01, 𝜂 ! " = 0.18), body fat mass (BFM) (p < 0.01, 𝜂 ! " = 0.11), percent body fat (PBF) (p = 0.04, 𝜂 ! " = 0.06), fat-free mass (FFM) (p < 0.01, 𝜂 ! " = 0.23), and FFM of Trunk (p = 0.05, 𝜂 ! " = 0.05). Significant gendersex effects were observed. Boys demonstrated higher BMI, TBW, SMM, FFM, FFM of Right Arm, FFM of Left Arm, FFM of Trunk, FFM of Right Leg, and FFM of Left Leg than girls at both time points.PA showed a positive effect in preventing excessive BMI growth in boys, with MVPA potentially preventing the rapid accumulation of body fat. Compared to LPA, MVPA appears to yield greater benefits in increasing TBW, SMM, and FFM, while also being more effective in preventing rapid increases in BFM and PBF among preschool children. For girls, engaging in vigorous PA may be crucial for effectively enhancing body composition development.