Longitudinal Associations Between Adherence to 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and Perceived Motor Competence in Adolescents

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze the longitudinal associations between adherence to different possible combinations of 24-hour movement guidelines and perceived motor competence (MC) in children and adolescents. METHODS: The study involved 429 students (median = 15.0) aged 13-16 years (182 girls, 42.4%). Physical activity, recreational screen time, sleep duration, and perceived MC were longitudinally measured via self-reports. Generalized linear mixed models were conducted to examine the associations between adherence to 24-hour movement guidelines and MC over the time. Age, sex, and body mass index were considered covariates. RESULTS: Adolescents who met all 3 guidelines presented the highest levels of perceived MC. Conversely, the lowest levels of perceived MC were observed in those who did not meet any of the guidelines. In particular, individuals with more 24-hour movement guidelines exhibited greater self-perceptions of stability and object control skills. Furthermore, the associations between the 24-hour movement guidelines and MC remain stable over time. CONCLUSIONS: Our outcomes suggest the relevance of jointly promoting 24-hour movement guidelines as they appear to have greater benefits for adolescents' perceived MC.