Adherence to healthy behaviours promotes several health benefits in preschool children, including executive function (EF). Recently, the predictive power of the 24‐hour movement behaviour (24 h MB) composition on health outcomes has been evidenced; however, its relationship with EF in preschoolers is unknown. Thus, the present study had two objectives: (1) to analyse the associations between the 24 h MB composition and EF of preschoolers; and (2) to investigate the theoretical changes in EF when time in different movement behaviours is reallocated. This cross‐sectional study was carried out with 123 preschoolers (3–5 years old) of low socioeconomic status. Physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour were assessed using an accelerometer for 7 days, sleep time was obtained through interviews with parents, and EF was measured using the Early Tool Box battery. To verify the association between 24 h MB and EF, compositional data analysis was used, and for time reallocation, compositional isotemporal substitution analysis was utilized. It was observed that the 24 h MB composition was positively associated with EF (p<. 0001;R² = 0.34), and that reallocating 5, 10, 15 or 20 min of the time spent on sleep and light PA to moderate‐to‐vigorous PA, respectively, was associated with significant improvements in EF (p< .05). These findings provide hitherto unseen insight into the relationship between 24 h MB and EF in preschool children, and warrants consideration for researchers and practitioners seeking to improve EF and PA in preschool children.

Studies that have analysed the association between the different movement behaviours and fundamental movement skills (FMS) have considered it in an independent manner, disregarding the compositional nature of 24-h movement behaviours (24-h MB). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the 24-h MB and FMS in preschoolers using a compositional data analysis . Two hundred and four preschoolers (4.5 ± 0.8 years old; 101 boys) provided objectively assessed physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) data (Actigraph wGT3X), and FMS (TGMD-2). Sleep duration (SD) was reported by parents. Association of daily composition of movement behaviours with FMS was explored using compositional analysis and isotemporal substitution (R Core Team, 3.6.1). When considered as a 24-h MB composition (PA, SB and SD), adjusted for age, BMI and sex, the composition predicted locomotor (r² = 0.31), object control (r² = 0.19), and total motor score (r² = 0.35), respectively (all P < 0.001). Reallocation of time from light to moderate-to-vigorous PA was associated with greatest positive changes in total motor score. Achieving adequate balance between movement behaviours over the 24-h period, and its relationship with locomotor and object control skills should be considered and further investigated in early childhood.

The present study aimed to analyze the dynamic and nonlinear association between screen time, executive function (EF), and fundamental motor skills (FMS) in preschoolers, considering sex and body mass index (BMI) from a network perspective. Forty-two preschoolers (24 boys, 3.91 ± 0.77 years old) provided screen time, EF, FMS, and BMI data. EF was measured using the Go/No Go task, and accuracy of Go (sustain attention), reaction time of Go, and accuracy of No Go (inhibitory control) were considered. Relationships between screen time, EF, FMS, sex, and BMI were explored using a network analysis. The emerged network highlights that screen time is intensely associated with the other variables in the network, while the accuracy of Go has the greater connectivity with other nodes in the network (2.27), being the most sensitive to potential intervention changes. Moreover, sex (1.74), screen time (0.93), and accuracy of Go (0.71) showed the greatest closeness. This study showed that in the emerged network, independent of sex, screen exposure affects the accuracy on Go task, and these components affect the variables in the network, as motor abilities and tasks involved in inhibitory control.

Background: The relationship between moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and fundamental motor skill (FMS) is inconsistent in early childhood, due to its complex and nonlinear characteristics. This study aimed to analyze the nonlinear relationships between MVPA, FMS, body mass index (BMI), sex, and age in preschoolers. Methods: This cross-sectional study with preschoolers (n = 204; 4.0 [0.8] y old; 99 boys), provided objective physical activity data, FMS assessments, and BMI. The associations between MVPA, FMS, BMI, sex, and age were explored using the network analysis (RStudio and qgraph). Results: Boys were more motor competent than girls in all FMS skills, while girls were more active than boys during the weekend. Older children were less active than their younger peers during these days. MVPA is weak and differently related to each FMS, and the leap skill emerged with the highest betweenness and strength values in the network. Conclusions: For the assessed preschoolers, when considering BMI, age, and sex, the relationships between MVPA and FMS are inconsistent, and leap emerged as the main variable. During early childhood, these variables are connected as part of a complex system in which each skill has a dynamic role within the emerging pattern.