Motor fitness and preschooler children obesity status

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to examine the association between motor fitness (MF) and obesity status in preschool children.

The sample comprised 467 children aged 3–6 years. Preschool children body mass index was classified according to International Obesity Task Force and categorised into three levels, normal, overweight and obesity. Total physical activity was assessed by accelerometer and MF test was assessed through two MF tests 10 × 5m shuttle run test (SRT) and a 7 m jumping distance on 2 feet test (J2F). Low MF was considered for MF if SD above 1. A single variable with three categories was created: low MF medium MF and high MF.

The prevalence of normal weight, overweight and obesity was 67.6%, 22.7% and 9.7%, respectively. The prevalence of SD > 1 for SRT was 13.7% and 14.4% for J2F, for single variable was 19.2%. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that obese preschoolers were more likely six times classified as having low MF level than their non-overweight counterparts (OR: 6.4; IC: 1.3–36.6).

This study showed a considerable prevalence of overweight and obesity among preschoolers. Obesity has already been associated with lower MF. Further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this data.

KEYWORDS:

• Physical fitness
• motor fitness
• preschool children
• body mass index

Acknowledgements

The group thanks the children, their parents as well as the staff from all kindergartens. This study was supported by Centre in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure (Faculty of Sport, University of Porto) and by the following Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) grants: UID/DTP/00617/2013; SFRH/BD/86538/2012 and Amanda Santos thanks the Brazilian Government Scholarship Program Ciência sem Fronteiras (CAPES) No. 6099/13-0.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Centre in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure under Grant [UID/DTP/00617/2013]; Foundation for Science and Technology under Grant [SFRH/BD/86538/2012] and Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel under Grant [number 6099/13-0].