Body Composition Index Predict Children’s Motor Skills Proficiency
Failure in mastery of motor skills proficiency during
childhood has been seen as a detrimental factor for children to be
physically active. Lack of motor skills proficiency tends to reduce
children’s competency and confidence level to participate in physical
activity. As a consequence of less participation in physical activity,
children will turn to be overweight and obese. It has been suggested
that children who master motor skill proficiency will be more
involved in physical activity thus preventing them from being
overweight. Obesity has become a serious childhood health issues
worldwide. Previous studies have found that children who were
overweight and obese were generally less active however these
studies focused on one gender. This study aims to compare motor
skill proficiency of underweight, normal-weight, overweight and
obese young boys as well as to determine the relationship between
motor skills proficiency and body composition. 112 boys aged
between 8 to 10 years old participated in this study. Participants were
assigned to four groups; underweight, normal-weight, overweight and
obese using BMI-age percentile chart for children. Bruininks-
Oseretsky Test Second Edition-Short Form was administered to
assess their motor skill proficiency. Meanwhile, body composition
was determined by the skinfold thickness measurement. Result
indicated that underweight and normal children were superior in
motor skills proficiency compared to overweight and obese children
(p < 0.05). A significant strong inverse correlation between motor
skills proficiency and body composition (r = -0.849) is noted. The
findings of this study could be explained by non-contributory mass
that carried by overweight and obese children leads to biomechanical
movement inefficiency which will become detrimental to motor skills
proficiency. It can be concluded that motor skills proficiency is
inversely correlated with body composition.
<p>[1] S. Houwen,, E ., Hartman, and C. Visscher, Physical activity and motor
skills in children with and without visual impairments, Medicine and
Science in Sports and Exercise, vol. 41, issue 1, 2009, pp 103-109.
[2] C. Bouchard, The obesity epidemic: Introduction, Champaign, IL:
Human Kinetics, 2000.
[3] F. Z. Catenassi, I. Marques, C. B. Bastos, L. Basso, E. R. V. Ronque,
and A. M. Gerage, Relationship between body mass index and gross
motor skill in four to six year-old children. Revista Brasileira de
Medicina do Esporte, vol.13, issue 4, 2007, pp 227-230.
[4] J. Ziviani, A. Poulsen, and C. Hansen, Movement skills proficiency and
physical activity: A case for Engaging and Coaching for Health
(EACH)-Child, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, vol. 56, issue
4, 2009, pp 259-265.
[5] L. M. Barnett, E. Van Beurden, P. J. Morgan, L.O. Brooks, and J. R.
Beard, Does childhood motor skill proficiency predict adolescent
fitness? Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, vol. 40, issue 12,
2008, pp 2137-2144.
[6] A. D. Okely, and M. L. Booth, Mastery of fundamental movement skills
among children in New South Wales: prevalence and socio-demographic
distribution, Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, vol. 7, issue 3,
2004, pp 358-372.
[7] H. G. Williams, K. A. Pfeiffer, J. R. O'Neill, M. Dowda, K. L. McIver,
W.H. Brown, and R. R. Pate, Motor skill performance and physical
activity in preschool children. Obesity (Silver Spring), vol. 16, issue 6,
2008, pp 1421-1426.
[8] A. Okely, M. Booth, and T. Chey, Relationship between body
composition and fundamental movement skills among children and
adolescents, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, vol 75, issue 3,
2004, pp 238–247.
[9] G. C. Frey, and B. Chow, Relationship between BMI, physical fitness,
and motor skills in youth with mild intellectual disabilities. International
Journal of Obesity, vol. 30, issue 5, 2006, pp 861-867.
[10] C. Graf, B. Koch, S. Dordel, S. Schindler-Marlow, A. Icks, A. Schuller,
B. Bjarnason-Wehrens, W. Tokarski, and H.G. Predel, Physical activity,
leisure habits and obesity in first-grade children. European Journal of
Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, vol. 11, issue 4, 2004, pp
284-290.
[11] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overweight and obesity.
May 2009, retrieved October, 21, 2012, from
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/index.html,
[12] M. N. Ismail, A. K. Norimah, A. T. Ruzita, N. Mazlan, B. K. Poh, S.
Nik Shanita, M. S. Nur Zakiah, and R. Roslee, Nutritional status and
dietary habits of primary school children in Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala
Lumpur: Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Faculty of Allied Health
Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 2003.
[13] P. Katzmarzyk, The Canadian obesity epidemic, 1985-1998, Canadian
Medical Association Journal. vol.164, issue 8, 2002, pp 1039-40.
[14] L. Foley, H. Prapavessis, R. Maddison, S. Burke, E. McGowan, and L.
Gillanders. Predicting physical activity intention and behaviour in
school-aged children, Pediatric Exercise Science, vol 20, 2008, pp 342-
356.
[15] R. R. Pate, K.A Pfeiffer, S. G. Trost, P. Ziegler, and M. Dowda, Physical
activity among children attending preschools. Pediatrics, vol. 114, issue
5, 2004, pp 1258-1263.
[16] G. Markovic and S. Jaric, Movement performance and body size: The
relationship for different groups of tests, European Journal of Applied
Physiology, vol. 92, issue 1-2, 2004, pp 139-149,
[17] E. D'Hondt, B. Deforche, I. De Bourdeaudhuij, and M. Lenoir,
Childhood obesity affects fine motor skill performance under different
postural constraints. Neuroscience Letters, vol. 440, issue 1, 2008, pp
72-75.
[18] M.H. Slaughter, T. G. Lohman, R. A. Boileau, C.A. Horswill, R. J.
Stillman, M. D. Van Loan, and D. A. Bemben, Skinfold equation for
estimation of body fatness in children and youth. Human Biology, vol.
60, 1998, pp 709-723.
[19] S. W. Logan, K. Scrabis-Fletcher, C. Modlesky, and N. Getchell, The
relationship between motor skill proficiency and body mass index in
preschool children. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, vol 82,
issue 3, 2011, pp 442-448,
[20] J. Clark, Dynamical systems perspective on gait. St. Louis, MO: Mosby
Publication, 1995.
[21] R. A. Magill, Motor learning and control: Concepts and applications.
Boston, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2007.
[22] K. Castetbon, and T. Andreyeva, Obesity and motor skills among 4 to 6-
year-old children in the United States: Nationally representative surveys.
BioMed Central Pediatrics, vol. 12, issue 1, 2012, pp 28.
[23] J. C. Deitz, D. Kartin, and K. Kopp. Review of the Bruininks-Oseretsky
test of motor proficiency, (BOT-2), Physical & Occupational Therapy in
Pediatrics, vol. 27, issue 4, 2007, pp 87-102.
[24] J. Parizkova, and A. Hills, Childhood obesity prevention and treatment
(2nd ed.). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2005.
[25] S. Houwen, C. Visscher, K. A. Lemmink, and E. Hartman, Motor skill
performance of school-age children with visual impairments.
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, vol. 50, issue 2, 2008, pp
139-145.
[26] M. Siahkouhian, H. Mahmoodi, and M. Salehi, Relationship between
fundamental movement skills and body mass index in 7-to-8 year-old
children, World Applied Sciences Journal, vol. 15, issue 9, 2011, pp
1354-1360.
[27] S.C. Wearing, E. M. Hennig, N. M. Byrne, J. R. Steele, and A.P. Hills,
The impact of childhood obesity on musculoskeletal form, Obesity
Review, vol.7, issue 2, 2006, pp 209-218,
[28] H. Daneshmandi, N. Rahnema, and R. Mehdizadeh, Relationship
between obesity and flatfoot in high-school boys and girls, International
Journal of Sports Science and Engineering, vol. 1, 2009, pp 43-49.
[29] A. Sarkar, M. Singh, N. Bansal and S. Kapoor, Effects of obesity on
balance and gait alterations in young adults, Indian Journal of
Physiology and Pharmacology, vol. 55, issue 3, 2011, pp 227-233,
[30] A. Goulding, I. Jones, R. Taylor, J. Piggot and D. Taylor, Dynamic and
static tests of balance and postural sway in boys: Effects of previous
wrist bone fractures and high adiposity, Gait & Posture, vol. 17, issue 2,
2003, pp 136-141.
[31] R. Geuze, Static balance and developmental coordination disorder,
Human Movement Science, vol. 22, 2003, pp 527-548.
[32] E. D'Hondt, B. Deforche, I. De Bourdeaudhuij, I. Gentier, A. Tanghe, S.
Shultz, and M. Lenoir, Postural balance under normal and altered
sensory conditions in normal-weight and overweight children, Clinical
Biomechanics, vol. 26, issue 1, 2011, pp 84-89.
[33] G. J. P. Savelsbergh, S. J. Bennett, G. T. Angelakopoulos, and K.
Davids, Perceptual-motor organization of children's catching behavior
under different postural constraints, Neuroscience Letters, vol. 373,
issue 2, 2005, 153-158.
[34] A.M. Dowling, J. R. Steel, and L. A. Baur, What are the effects of
obesity in children on plantar pressure distributions? International
Journal of Obesity, 28(11), 2004, pp 1514-1519.
[35] N. Filippin, V. Barbosa, I. Sacco, and P. Lobo da Costa, Effects of
obesity on plantar pressure distribution in children. Revista Brasileira de
Fisioterapia, vol. 11, issue 6, 2007, pp 495-501.
[36] D. Riddiford-Harland, J. Steele, and L. Storlien, Does obesity influence
foot structure in prepubescent children? International Journal of
Obesity, vol. 24, issue 5, 2000, pp 541-544.
[37] A. M. Dowling, J. R. Steele, and L. A. Baur, Does obesity influence foot
structure and plantar pressure patterns in prepubescent children?
International Journal of Obesity, 25, 2001, pp 845-852.
[38] S. P. Messier, Osteoarthritis of the knee and associated factors of age
and obesity: Effects on gait. Medicine and Science in Sports and
Exercise, vol. 26, issue 12, 1994, pp 1446-1452.
[39] P. Gouws, Effects of obesity on the biomechanics of children's gait at
different speed, Order No. 1479059, University of Nevada, Las Vegas,
2010. Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 80.
[40] B. Deforche, J. Lefevre, I. Bourdeaudhuij, A.P. Hills, W. Duquet, and J.
Bouckaert,. Physical fitness and physical activity in obese and non-obese
Flemish youth, Obesity Research, vol. 11, issue 3, 2012, pp 434-441.
[41] D. E. Kelley, B. Goodpaster, R. R. Wing, and J. A. Simoneau, Skeletal
muscle fatty acid metabolism in association with insulin resistance,
obesity, and weight loss, American Journal of Physiology, 277, 1999,
pp. 1130-1141.
[42] L. Truter, A. E. Pienaar, and D. Du Toit, The relationship of overweight
and obesity to the motor performance of children living in South Africa.
South African Family Practice, vol. 54, issue 5, 2012, pp 429-435.
[43] K. K. Mak, S. Y. Ho, W. S. Lo, G. N. Thomas, A. M. McManus, J. R.
Day, and T. H. Lam, Health-related physical fitness and weight status in
Hong Kong adolescents. BioMed Central Public Health, vol. 10, issue 1,
2010, pp 88.
[44] F. Biskanaki, A. K. Panagiotou, S. K. Papadopoulou, N. G. Spiridou, G.
K. Gallos, J. Gill, E. M. Zacharis, E. Tassoulas, and A. Fachantidou, The
effect of sex and obesity on specific motor skills of Greek children aged
8 years old, Pakistan Journal of Medical Research, vol. 43, issue 3,
2004, pp 1-5.
[45] T.L. McKenzie, J. F. Sallis, S. L. Broyles, M. M. Zive, P. R. Nader, C.
C. Berry, and J. J. Brennan, Childhood movement skills: Predictors of
physical activity in Anglo American and Mexican American
adolescents? Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, vol. 73, issue
3, 2002, pp 238.
[46] R. M. Malina, Tracking of physical activity and physical fitness across
the lifespan, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, vol. 67, issue 3,
1995, pp S48.
[47] M. Slining, L. S. Adair, B. D. Goldman, J. Borja, and M. Bentley, Infant
overweight is associated with delayed motor development, Journal of
Pediatric, 57(1), 2010, pp 20-25.
[48] C. Milanese, O. Bortolami, M. Bertucco, G. Verlato, and C. Zancanaro,
Anthropometry and motor fitness in children aged 6-12 years, Journal of
Human Sport & Exercise, vol. 5, issue 2, 2010, pp 265-279</p>
<p>[1] S. Houwen,, E ., Hartman, and C. Visscher, Physical activity and motor
skills in children with and without visual impairments, Medicine and
Science in Sports and Exercise, vol. 41, issue 1, 2009, pp 103-109.
[2] C. Bouchard, The obesity epidemic: Introduction, Champaign, IL:
Human Kinetics, 2000.
[3] F. Z. Catenassi, I. Marques, C. B. Bastos, L. Basso, E. R. V. Ronque,
and A. M. Gerage, Relationship between body mass index and gross
motor skill in four to six year-old children. Revista Brasileira de
Medicina do Esporte, vol.13, issue 4, 2007, pp 227-230.
[4] J. Ziviani, A. Poulsen, and C. Hansen, Movement skills proficiency and
physical activity: A case for Engaging and Coaching for Health
(EACH)-Child, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, vol. 56, issue
4, 2009, pp 259-265.
[5] L. M. Barnett, E. Van Beurden, P. J. Morgan, L.O. Brooks, and J. R.
Beard, Does childhood motor skill proficiency predict adolescent
fitness? Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, vol. 40, issue 12,
2008, pp 2137-2144.
[6] A. D. Okely, and M. L. Booth, Mastery of fundamental movement skills
among children in New South Wales: prevalence and socio-demographic
distribution, Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, vol. 7, issue 3,
2004, pp 358-372.
[7] H. G. Williams, K. A. Pfeiffer, J. R. O'Neill, M. Dowda, K. L. McIver,
W.H. Brown, and R. R. Pate, Motor skill performance and physical
activity in preschool children. Obesity (Silver Spring), vol. 16, issue 6,
2008, pp 1421-1426.
[8] A. Okely, M. Booth, and T. Chey, Relationship between body
composition and fundamental movement skills among children and
adolescents, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, vol 75, issue 3,
2004, pp 238–247.
[9] G. C. Frey, and B. Chow, Relationship between BMI, physical fitness,
and motor skills in youth with mild intellectual disabilities. International
Journal of Obesity, vol. 30, issue 5, 2006, pp 861-867.
[10] C. Graf, B. Koch, S. Dordel, S. Schindler-Marlow, A. Icks, A. Schuller,
B. Bjarnason-Wehrens, W. Tokarski, and H.G. Predel, Physical activity,
leisure habits and obesity in first-grade children. European Journal of
Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, vol. 11, issue 4, 2004, pp
284-290.
[11] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overweight and obesity.
May 2009, retrieved October, 21, 2012, from
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/index.html,
[12] M. N. Ismail, A. K. Norimah, A. T. Ruzita, N. Mazlan, B. K. Poh, S.
Nik Shanita, M. S. Nur Zakiah, and R. Roslee, Nutritional status and
dietary habits of primary school children in Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala
Lumpur: Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Faculty of Allied Health
Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 2003.
[13] P. Katzmarzyk, The Canadian obesity epidemic, 1985-1998, Canadian
Medical Association Journal. vol.164, issue 8, 2002, pp 1039-40.
[14] L. Foley, H. Prapavessis, R. Maddison, S. Burke, E. McGowan, and L.
Gillanders. Predicting physical activity intention and behaviour in
school-aged children, Pediatric Exercise Science, vol 20, 2008, pp 342-
356.
[15] R. R. Pate, K.A Pfeiffer, S. G. Trost, P. Ziegler, and M. Dowda, Physical
activity among children attending preschools. Pediatrics, vol. 114, issue
5, 2004, pp 1258-1263.
[16] G. Markovic and S. Jaric, Movement performance and body size: The
relationship for different groups of tests, European Journal of Applied
Physiology, vol. 92, issue 1-2, 2004, pp 139-149,
[17] E. D'Hondt, B. Deforche, I. De Bourdeaudhuij, and M. Lenoir,
Childhood obesity affects fine motor skill performance under different
postural constraints. Neuroscience Letters, vol. 440, issue 1, 2008, pp
72-75.
[18] M.H. Slaughter, T. G. Lohman, R. A. Boileau, C.A. Horswill, R. J.
Stillman, M. D. Van Loan, and D. A. Bemben, Skinfold equation for
estimation of body fatness in children and youth. Human Biology, vol.
60, 1998, pp 709-723.
[19] S. W. Logan, K. Scrabis-Fletcher, C. Modlesky, and N. Getchell, The
relationship between motor skill proficiency and body mass index in
preschool children. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, vol 82,
issue 3, 2011, pp 442-448,
[20] J. Clark, Dynamical systems perspective on gait. St. Louis, MO: Mosby
Publication, 1995.
[21] R. A. Magill, Motor learning and control: Concepts and applications.
Boston, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2007.
[22] K. Castetbon, and T. Andreyeva, Obesity and motor skills among 4 to 6-
year-old children in the United States: Nationally representative surveys.
BioMed Central Pediatrics, vol. 12, issue 1, 2012, pp 28.
[23] J. C. Deitz, D. Kartin, and K. Kopp. Review of the Bruininks-Oseretsky
test of motor proficiency, (BOT-2), Physical & Occupational Therapy in
Pediatrics, vol. 27, issue 4, 2007, pp 87-102.
[24] J. Parizkova, and A. Hills, Childhood obesity prevention and treatment
(2nd ed.). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2005.
[25] S. Houwen, C. Visscher, K. A. Lemmink, and E. Hartman, Motor skill
performance of school-age children with visual impairments.
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, vol. 50, issue 2, 2008, pp
139-145.
[26] M. Siahkouhian, H. Mahmoodi, and M. Salehi, Relationship between
fundamental movement skills and body mass index in 7-to-8 year-old
children, World Applied Sciences Journal, vol. 15, issue 9, 2011, pp
1354-1360.
[27] S.C. Wearing, E. M. Hennig, N. M. Byrne, J. R. Steele, and A.P. Hills,
The impact of childhood obesity on musculoskeletal form, Obesity
Review, vol.7, issue 2, 2006, pp 209-218,
[28] H. Daneshmandi, N. Rahnema, and R. Mehdizadeh, Relationship
between obesity and flatfoot in high-school boys and girls, International
Journal of Sports Science and Engineering, vol. 1, 2009, pp 43-49.
[29] A. Sarkar, M. Singh, N. Bansal and S. Kapoor, Effects of obesity on
balance and gait alterations in young adults, Indian Journal of
Physiology and Pharmacology, vol. 55, issue 3, 2011, pp 227-233,
[30] A. Goulding, I. Jones, R. Taylor, J. Piggot and D. Taylor, Dynamic and
static tests of balance and postural sway in boys: Effects of previous
wrist bone fractures and high adiposity, Gait & Posture, vol. 17, issue 2,
2003, pp 136-141.
[31] R. Geuze, Static balance and developmental coordination disorder,
Human Movement Science, vol. 22, 2003, pp 527-548.
[32] E. D'Hondt, B. Deforche, I. De Bourdeaudhuij, I. Gentier, A. Tanghe, S.
Shultz, and M. Lenoir, Postural balance under normal and altered
sensory conditions in normal-weight and overweight children, Clinical
Biomechanics, vol. 26, issue 1, 2011, pp 84-89.
[33] G. J. P. Savelsbergh, S. J. Bennett, G. T. Angelakopoulos, and K.
Davids, Perceptual-motor organization of children's catching behavior
under different postural constraints, Neuroscience Letters, vol. 373,
issue 2, 2005, 153-158.
[34] A.M. Dowling, J. R. Steel, and L. A. Baur, What are the effects of
obesity in children on plantar pressure distributions? International
Journal of Obesity, 28(11), 2004, pp 1514-1519.
[35] N. Filippin, V. Barbosa, I. Sacco, and P. Lobo da Costa, Effects of
obesity on plantar pressure distribution in children. Revista Brasileira de
Fisioterapia, vol. 11, issue 6, 2007, pp 495-501.
[36] D. Riddiford-Harland, J. Steele, and L. Storlien, Does obesity influence
foot structure in prepubescent children? International Journal of
Obesity, vol. 24, issue 5, 2000, pp 541-544.
[37] A. M. Dowling, J. R. Steele, and L. A. Baur, Does obesity influence foot
structure and plantar pressure patterns in prepubescent children?
International Journal of Obesity, 25, 2001, pp 845-852.
[38] S. P. Messier, Osteoarthritis of the knee and associated factors of age
and obesity: Effects on gait. Medicine and Science in Sports and
Exercise, vol. 26, issue 12, 1994, pp 1446-1452.
[39] P. Gouws, Effects of obesity on the biomechanics of children's gait at
different speed, Order No. 1479059, University of Nevada, Las Vegas,
2010. Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 80.
[40] B. Deforche, J. Lefevre, I. Bourdeaudhuij, A.P. Hills, W. Duquet, and J.
Bouckaert,. Physical fitness and physical activity in obese and non-obese
Flemish youth, Obesity Research, vol. 11, issue 3, 2012, pp 434-441.
[41] D. E. Kelley, B. Goodpaster, R. R. Wing, and J. A. Simoneau, Skeletal
muscle fatty acid metabolism in association with insulin resistance,
obesity, and weight loss, American Journal of Physiology, 277, 1999,
pp. 1130-1141.
[42] L. Truter, A. E. Pienaar, and D. Du Toit, The relationship of overweight
and obesity to the motor performance of children living in South Africa.
South African Family Practice, vol. 54, issue 5, 2012, pp 429-435.
[43] K. K. Mak, S. Y. Ho, W. S. Lo, G. N. Thomas, A. M. McManus, J. R.
Day, and T. H. Lam, Health-related physical fitness and weight status in
Hong Kong adolescents. BioMed Central Public Health, vol. 10, issue 1,
2010, pp 88.
[44] F. Biskanaki, A. K. Panagiotou, S. K. Papadopoulou, N. G. Spiridou, G.
K. Gallos, J. Gill, E. M. Zacharis, E. Tassoulas, and A. Fachantidou, The
effect of sex and obesity on specific motor skills of Greek children aged
8 years old, Pakistan Journal of Medical Research, vol. 43, issue 3,
2004, pp 1-5.
[45] T.L. McKenzie, J. F. Sallis, S. L. Broyles, M. M. Zive, P. R. Nader, C.
C. Berry, and J. J. Brennan, Childhood movement skills: Predictors of
physical activity in Anglo American and Mexican American
adolescents? Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, vol. 73, issue
3, 2002, pp 238.
[46] R. M. Malina, Tracking of physical activity and physical fitness across
the lifespan, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, vol. 67, issue 3,
1995, pp S48.
[47] M. Slining, L. S. Adair, B. D. Goldman, J. Borja, and M. Bentley, Infant
overweight is associated with delayed motor development, Journal of
Pediatric, 57(1), 2010, pp 20-25.
[48] C. Milanese, O. Bortolami, M. Bertucco, G. Verlato, and C. Zancanaro,
Anthropometry and motor fitness in children aged 6-12 years, Journal of
Human Sport & Exercise, vol. 5, issue 2, 2010, pp 265-279</p>
@article{"International Journal of Medical, Medicine and Health Sciences:52136", author = "Sarina Md Yusof and Suhana Aiman and Mohd Khairi Zawi and Hosni Hasan and Azila Azreen Md Radzi", title = "Body Composition Index Predict Children’s Motor Skills Proficiency", abstract = "Failure in mastery of motor skills proficiency during
childhood has been seen as a detrimental factor for children to be
physically active. Lack of motor skills proficiency tends to reduce
children’s competency and confidence level to participate in physical
activity. As a consequence of less participation in physical activity,
children will turn to be overweight and obese. It has been suggested
that children who master motor skill proficiency will be more
involved in physical activity thus preventing them from being
overweight. Obesity has become a serious childhood health issues
worldwide. Previous studies have found that children who were
overweight and obese were generally less active however these
studies focused on one gender. This study aims to compare motor
skill proficiency of underweight, normal-weight, overweight and
obese young boys as well as to determine the relationship between
motor skills proficiency and body composition. 112 boys aged
between 8 to 10 years old participated in this study. Participants were
assigned to four groups; underweight, normal-weight, overweight and
obese using BMI-age percentile chart for children. Bruininks-
Oseretsky Test Second Edition-Short Form was administered to
assess their motor skill proficiency. Meanwhile, body composition
was determined by the skinfold thickness measurement. Result
indicated that underweight and normal children were superior in
motor skills proficiency compared to overweight and obese children
(p < 0.05). A significant strong inverse correlation between motor
skills proficiency and body composition (r = -0.849) is noted. The
findings of this study could be explained by non-contributory mass
that carried by overweight and obese children leads to biomechanical
movement inefficiency which will become detrimental to motor skills
proficiency. It can be concluded that motor skills proficiency is
inversely correlated with body composition.
", keywords = "Motor skills proficiency, body composition, obesity.", volume = "7", number = "7", pages = "353-7", }
