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First Kindergarten Physical Activity Monitoring (KG-PAM) Study in Malta Successfully Completed / Tlesta b'Suċċess l-Ewwel Studju dwar il-Monitoraġġ tal-Attivit Fiżika fit-Tfal tal-Kindergarten (KG-PAM) f'Malta

[ENG]

A research team from the Institute for Physical Education and Sport at the University of Malta, led by Professor Andrew Decelis, is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of data collection for its first pilot study under the KG-PAM project. This initial phase, funded by the University of Malta SEED Fund and marked during a concluding activity at San Ä wann Primary School, represents a significant step forward in understanding the health and movement behaviours of Malta’s youngest students.

Insufficient physical activity during early childhood is a growing public health concern, with far-reaching implications for children's physical, mental, and social well-being. While schools are recognised as key settings for promoting healthy habits, there has been a critical lack of objective data on how much time children spend in physical activity versus sedentary behaviour during the kindergarten school day in Malta.

To bridge this evidence gap, this pilot study engaged 111 children and 30 educators. Participants wore hip-mounted accelerometers during school hours for five consecutive days, providing the research team with precise, objective data on movement and sedentary behaviour.

Preliminary findings from this pilot phase revealed that children accumulated an average of 100 minutes of light physical activity per day, along with 18 minutes of moderate activity and 7 minutes of vigorous activity. This results in a total of 125 minutes of daily physical activity at any intensity during school hours.

When measured against global guidelines, these findings highlight a critical gap and a pressing need to increase children's movement. Health benchmarks recommend that young children spend at least 180 minutes per day in a variety of physical activities at any intensity, of which at least 60 minutes should be moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA), spread throughout the day. With the pilot data showing a total of 125 minutes of overall activity and only 25 minutes of MVPA during the school day, increasing total daily MVPA time is a clear priority.

As the project moves into the formal data analysis phase, researchers will also investigate whether there is an association between the physical activity levels of the children and those of their teachers and Learning Support Educators within the school setting.

Commenting on the results and the need for action, lead investigator Professor Andrew Decelis stated:

 

These pilot findings underscore a clear opportunity for intervention. Researchers suggest that the PE programme established in primary schools should be extended to kindergarten. Implementing a pilot programme at this early stage could establish whether structured PE leads to a significant increase in physical activity levels. This is crucial for immediate health & well-being and for developing physical literacy, giving children the competence & confidence they require to remain active for life. Prof. Andrew Decelis

Reflecting on the study's implications for the educational framework, Marvin Spiteri, Education Officer for Primary Physical Education, stressed the importance of targeting the early years through physical education lessons and stressed the difference between PE and general physical activity.

Jude Zammit, Director General for Curriculum, emphasised the ministry’s dedication to turning research into practical outcomes, stating: "We must ensure the prompt execution of evidence-based strategies that prioritise the needs of the child."

Professor Decelis also expressed his deep gratitude to all collaborators who made the project possible: "This data is vital for our understanding of the early childhood environment in Malta. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Director General Curriculum, Jude Zammit; the Head of College Network, Jonathan Attard; the Education Officer for Primary Physical Education, Mr Marvin Spiteri; the Head of School, David Caruana; Deputy Heads Jeffrey Borg and Sharon Scifo; School Administrator Antoinette Bonavia; and all of the kindergarten teachers and Learning Support Educators for their invaluable support and dedication to this project.

Furthermore, we highly appreciate the essential guidance, support, and clearance provided by the Ministry's Research and School Internal Review Directorate and the University of Malta Research Ethics Committee."

A unique strength of the KG-PAM pilot study is its alignment with research methodologies used at .

This compatibility will enable the team to perform international comparisons, placing Malta’s findings within a broader global context and helping to shape future school-based health policies as the project moves forward.

Contact: Prof. Andrew Decelis Institute for Physical Education and Sport, University of Malta via email. 

[MLT]

Tim ta’ riÄ‹erka mill-Istitut għall-Edukazzjoni Fiżika u l-Isport fl-Università ta’ Malta, immexxi mill-Professur Andrew Decelis, għandu l-pjaÄ‹ir iħabbar li ntemm b’suÄ‹Ä‹ess il-Ä¡bir tad-dejta għall-ewwel studju pilota fil-proÄ¡ett KG-PAM. Din il-fażi inizjali, iffinanzjata mill-fond SEED tal-Università ta’ Malta u Ä‹Ä‹elebrata waqt attività tal-għeluq fl-Iskola Primarja ta’ San Ä wann, tirrappreżenta pass kbir 'il quddiem biex nifhmu s-saħħa u l-moviment fost l-iżgħar studenti f’Malta.

In-nuqqas ta’ attività fiżika matul it-tfulija bikrija huwa ta’ tħassib dejjem jikber għas-saħħa pubblika, b’implikazzjonijiet estensivi għall-benesseri fiżiku, mentali u soÄ‹jali tat-tfal. Filwaqt li l-iskejjel huma rikonoxxuti bħala ambjenti ewlieni għall-promozzjoni ta’ drawwiet sani, s'issa kien hemm nuqqas kritiku ta’ dejta oÄ¡Ä¡ettiva dwar kemm it-tfal qed iqattgħu ħin f’attività fiżika meta mqabbel ma’ mÄ¡ieba sedentarja matul il-Ä¡urnata tal-iskola fil-kindergarten f’Malta.

Biex jimtela dan id-vojt, dan l-istudju pilota involva 111-il tifel u tifla u 30 edukatur. Il-parteÄ‹ipanti libsu accelerometers ma' qaddhom matul il-ħin tal-iskola għal ħames ijiem konsekuttivi, biex b'hekk ipprovdew lit-tim ta’ riÄ‹erka dejta preÄ‹iża u oÄ¡Ä¡ettiva dwar il-moviment u l-imÄ¡ieba sedentarja tagħhom.

Ir-riżultati preliminari minn din il-fażi pilota urew li t-tfal akkumulaw medja ta’ 100 minuta ta’ attività fiżika ħafifa kuljum, flimkien ma’ 18-il minuta ta’ attività moderata u 7 minuti ta’ attività vigoruża. Dan jammonta għal total ta’ 125 minuta ta’ attività fiżika kuljum f’kull livell ta’ intensità matul il-ħin tal-iskola.

Meta mqabbla mal-linji gwida globali, dawn ir-riżultati jenfasizzaw distakk kritiku u l-bżonn urÄ¡enti li jiżdied il-moviment tat-tfal. Il-miri tas-saħħa jirrakkomandaw li t-tfal żgħar iqattgħu mill-inqas 180 minuta kuljum f’varjetà ta’ attivitajiet fiżiÄ‹i ta’ kull intensità, li minnhom mill-inqas 60 minuta għandhom ikunu attività fiżika ta’ intensità moderata għal vigoruża (MVPA), mifruxa matul il-Ä¡urnata. Peress li d-dejta pilota turi total ta’ 125 minuta ta’ attività Ä¡enerali u 25 minuta biss ta’ MVPA matul il-Ä¡urnata tal-iskola, iż-żieda fil-ħin totali ta’ kuljum tal-MVPA hija prijorità Ä‹ara.

Hekk kif il-proÄ¡ett issa jidħol fil-fażi tal-analiżi formali tad-dejta, ir-riÄ‹erkaturi se jinvestigaw ukoll jekk hemmx rabta bejn il-livelli ta’ attività fiżika tat-tfal u dawk tal-edukaturi tagħhom fl-ambjent tal-iskola.

Meta kkummenta dwar ir-riżultati u l-ħtieġa għal azzjoni, il-Professur Andrew Decelis stqarr:

"Dawn ir-riżultati pilota jenfasizzaw opportunità Ä‹ara għal intervent. Għalhekk nissuÄ¡Ä¡erixxu li l-programm tal-Edukazzjoni Fiżika (PE) li bħalissa huwa stabbilit fl-iskejjel primarji għandu jiÄ¡i estiż ukoll għall-klassijiet tal-kindergarten. L-implimentazzjoni ta’ programm pilota f’dan l-istadju bikri tista’ tiddetermina jekk il-lezzjonijiet tal-PE iwasslux għal żieda sinifikanti fil-livelli ta’ attività fiżika. Dan huwa kruÄ‹jali mhux biss għas-saħħa u l-benesseri immedjati tagħhom, iżda wkoll għall-iżvilupp tal-litteriżmu fiżiku, li jagħti lit-tfal il-kompetenza, il-kunfidenza u l-attitudni pożittiva meħtieÄ¡a biex jibqgħu attivi tul ħajjithom."

Waqt li rrifletta fuq l-implikazzjonijiet tal-istudju għall-qafas edukattiv, Marvin Spiteri, UffiÄ‹jal tal-Edukazzjoni għall-Edukazzjoni Fiżika fl-iskejjek Primarji, saħaq fuq l-importanza li l-ewwel snin tat-tfal jiÄ¡u mmirati permezz ta’ lezzjonijiet tal-edukazzjoni fiżika, u enfasizza d-differenza bejn il-PE u l-attività fiżika b’mod Ä¡enerali.

Jude Zammit, id-Direttur Ġenerali tal-Kurrikulu, enfasizza l-impenn tal-ministeru li jbiddel ir-riċerka f'riżultati prattiċi, fejn stqarr: "Għandna niżguraw l-implimentazzjoni mmedjata ta' strateġiji bbażati fuq l-evidenza li jpoġġu l-bżonnijiet tat-tfal fuq quddiem."

Il-Professur Decelis esprima wkoll ringrazzjament lill-kollaboraturi kollha li għamlu dan il-proÄ¡ett possibbli: "Din id-dejta hija mportanti biex nifhmu l-ambjent tat-tfulija bikrija f’Malta. Nixtiequ nwasslu r-ringrazzjament sinÄ‹ier tagħna lid-Direttur Ä enerali tal-Kurrikulu, Jude Zammit; lill-Kap tan-Netwerk tal-KulleÄ¡Ä¡, Jonathan Attard; lill-UffiÄ‹jal tal-Edukazzjoni għall-Edukazzjoni Fiżika Primarja, is-Sur Marvin Spiteri; lill-Kap tal-Iskola, David Caruana; lill-Assistent Kapijiet Jeffrey Borg u Sharon Scifo; lill-AmministratriÄ‹i tal-Iskola Antoinette Bonavia; kif ukoll lill-għalliema kollha tal-kindergarten u l-Edukaturi għas-Sostenn tat-Tagħlim (LSEs) għas-sapport imprezzabbli u d-dedikazzjoni tagħhom lejn dan il-proÄ¡ett.

Barra minn hekk, napprezzaw ħafna l-gwida, l-appoÄ¡Ä¡ u l-approvazzjoni essenzjali pprovduti mid-Direttorat għar-RiÄ‹erka u r-Reviżjoni Interna tal-Iskola tal-Ministeru, kif ukoll mill-Kumitat tal-Etika fir-RiÄ‹erka tal-Università ta’ Malta."

Aspett pożittiv ta’ dan l-istudju pilota KG-PAM huwa l-allinjament tiegħu ma’ metodoloÄ¡iji ta’ riÄ‹erka użati fl-Universita ta’ Nord, fin-NorveÄ¡ja. Din il-kompatibbiltà se tippermetti lit-tim iwettaq paraguni internazzjonali, li jpoÄ¡Ä¡u r-riżultati ta’ Malta f’kuntest globali usa’ u jgħinu biex jiÄ¡u ffurmati politika futura dwar is-saħħa fl-iskejjel hekk kif il-proÄ¡ett ikompli jipprogressa.

Kuntatt: Prof. Andrew Decelis Istitut għall-Edukazzjoni Fiżika u l-Isport, Università ta’ Malta, permezz ta' email.