Conceptual skills and verbal abilities were better in children aged six to seven years who were from more highly educated families and attended sports clubs

AIM: We explored the cognitive abilities, health behaviour and cardiorespiratory fitness of preschool Estonian children aged 6-7 and any association with parental education, attending sports clubs and gender. METHODS: Data were obtained from 256 children recruited from 13 randomly chosen kindergartens in Tartu, Estonia. Cognitive abilities were assessed using the modified Boehm Test of Basic Concepts - Third Edition. Objective physical activity (PA) intensity and sedentary levels were measured over seven days by accelerometry. To assess cardiorespiratory fitness, we used the 20-m shuttle run from the PREFIT test battery. Parents reported their educational attainment, together with their child's sports club attendance, sleep duration and screen time. RESULTS: Children from more highly educated families had significantly better test results for conceptual skills, verbal abilities and cardiorespiratory fitness. PA levels, cardiorespiratory fitness and perception and conceptual skills test results were better in children who attended sports clubs. Higher cardiorespiratory fitness level, shorter screen time and sleep duration were associated with better conceptual skills. CONCLUSION: Conceptual skills and verbal abilities were better in the children of more highly educated families and if they attended sports clubs. Children's cognitive abilities may benefit from better cardiorespiratory fitness, reduced sedentary activity and less screen time.