{rfName}
Th

License and use

Altmetrics

Grant support

CC-S is supported by Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities [FJC2018-037925-I]. EGA is supported by grants from the Sp anish Ministry of Science and Innovation (RYC-2014-16390). JM-G is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (FPU14/06837). In addition, this study was further supported by the University of Zaragoza (JIUZ-2014-BIO-08), and by the University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigacion 2016, Excellence actions: Units of Excellence; Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES). Additional funding from the SAMID III network, RETICS, funded by the PN I+D+I 2017-2021 (Spain), ISCIII-Sub-Directorate General for Research Assessment and Promotion, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (Ref. RD16/0022), the EXERNET Research Network on Exercise and Health in Special Populations (DEP2005-00046/ACTI).

Analysis of institutional authors

Cupeiro, RocioAuthorRojo-Tirado, Miguel AAuthorPeinado, Ana B.AuthorBenito, Pedro J.Corresponding Author

Share

May 12, 2020
Publications
>
Article
No

The relative age effect on physical fitness in preschool children

Publicated to:Journal Of Sports Sciences. 38 (13): 1-10 - 2020-07-02 38(13), DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2020.1746559

Authors: Cupeiro, Rocio; Rojo-Tirado, Miguel A; Cadenas-Sanchez, Cristina; Artero, Enrique G; Peinado, Ana B; Labayen, Idoia; Dorado, Cecilia; Arias-Palencia, Natalia M; Moliner-Urdiales, Diego; Vidal-Conti, Josep; Conde-Caveda, Julio; Mora-Gonzalez, Jose; Vicente-Rodriguez, German; Benito, Pedro J

Affiliations

Biomed Res & Innovat Inst Cadiz Inibica, Res Unit, Cadiz, Spain - Author
Univ Almeria, CERNEP Res Ctr, SPORT Res Grp CTS 1024, Almeria, Spain - Author
Univ Almeria, Fac Educ Sci, Dept Educ, Almeria, Spain - Author
Univ Cadiz, Fac Educ Sci, Dept Phys Educ, Puerto Real, Spain - Author
Univ Castilla La Mancha, Hlth & Social Res Ctr, Cuenca, Spain - Author
Univ Castilla La Mancha, Sch Educ, Cuenca, Spain - Author
Univ Granada, PROFITH PROmoting FITness & Hlth Phys Act Res Grp, Sport & Hlth Univ Res Inst iMUDS, Dept Phys Educ & Sports,Fac Sport Sci, Granada, Spain - Author
Univ Illes Balears, Phys Act & Sport Sci Res Grp, Palma De Mallorca, Spain - Author
Univ Jaume 1, Fac Humanities & Social Sci, LIFE Res Grp, Castellon de La Plana, Spain - Author
Univ Las Palmas Gran Canaria, Dept Phys Educ, Las Palmas Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain - Author
Univ Las Palmas Gran Canaria, Res Inst Biomed & Hlth Sci IUIBS, Las Palmas Gran Canaria, Canary Island, Spain - Author
Univ North Carolina Charlotte, Coll Hlth & Human Serv, Charlotte, NC USA - Author
Univ Politecn Madrid, LFE Res Grp, Dept Hlth & Human Performance, Fac Phys Act & Sport Sci INEF, Madrid, Spain - Author
Univ Publ Navarra, Inst Innovat & Sustainable Dev Food Chain IS FOOD, Pamplona, Spain - Author
Univ Zaragoza, GENUD Growth Exercise Nutr & Dev Res Grp,Dept Phy, Ctr Invest Biomed Red Fisiopatol Obesidad & Nutr, IA2,Cita Univ Zaragoza,Fac Hlth & Sport Sci FCSD, Zaragoza, Spain - Author
See more

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the existence of a relative age effect (RAE) on physical fitness of preschoolers. Anthropometry and physical fitness were assessed in 3147 children (3-5 years old) using the PREFIT battery. Based on the birth year, participants were divided into 3year groups (3-, 4- and 5-years). Within each year group, 4quarter groups were created: quarter 1, preschoolers born from January to March; quarter 2, from April to June; quarter 3, from July to September; quarter 4, from October to December. The MANCOVA analysis revealed a main effect of year group (Wilks' lambda = 0.383; F-10,F-5996 = 369.64; p < 0.001, eta(2)(p) = 0.381) and of quarter (Wilks' lambda = 0.874; F-15,F-8276.6 = 27.67; p < 0.001; eta(2)(p) = 0.044) over the whole battery of tests. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the existence of RAE at the preschool stage. In general, performance improved as the relative age increased (i.e., those born in quarter 1 performed better than those in the other quarters). Individualization strategies should be addressed within the same academic year not only in elementary or secondary years but also in preschoolers.

Keywords

balancecardiorespiratory fitnessmuscular strengthpreschoolersraeAge factorsBalanceBody heightBody weightCardiorespiratory fitnessChild developmentChild, preschoolExercise testFemaleHumansMaleMotor skillsMuscle strengthMuscular strengthPhysical fitnessPostural balancePreschoolersRaeSpainSpeed-agility

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Journal Of Sports Sciences due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency Scopus (SJR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2020, it was in position , thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation. Notably, the journal is positioned above the 90th percentile.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations provided by WoS (ESI, Clarivate), it yields a value for the citation normalization relative to the expected citation rate of: 1.44. This indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 14, 2024)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Weighted Average of Normalized Impact by the Scopus agency: 1.71 (source consulted: FECYT Feb 2024)
  • Field Citation Ratio (FCR) from Dimensions: 8.11 (source consulted: Dimensions Aug 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-08-25, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 20
  • Scopus: 22

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-08-25:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 109.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 108 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 16.3.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 24 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: https://oa.upm.es/78399/

As a result of the publication of the work in the institutional repository, statistical usage data has been obtained that reflects its impact. In terms of dissemination, we can state that, as of

  • Views: 117
  • Downloads: 48

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: Sudan; United States of America.

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (CUPEIRO COTO, ROCIO) .

the author responsible for correspondence tasks has been BENITO PEINADO, PEDRO JOSE.