Health benefits of physical activity (PA) and physical fitness (PF) are reasonably well established, but tracking studies of PA and PF in childhood have not ordinarily considered the role of motor coordination. Objectives: To compare the growth status, gross motor coordination (GMC), PA and PF characteristics of children at 6 years of age relative to aerobic fitness (fit, unfit) and PA (active, sedentary) at 10 years. Methods: 285 primary school children (142 girls, 143 boys) resident on the four main Azorean islands, Portugal, were measured annually (in the Fall) from 6 to 10 years. ANOVA and t-tests were computed with SPSS 17.
