Another Evidence on Negative Impact of Overweight on Preschool Children Growth
Overweight is increasingly present among children, and currently represents one of the main public health problems. In children, it is associated with various health problems such as diabetes, asthma, hypertension, atherosclerosis, physical deformities and psychosocial problems. Bearing in mind the results of previous studies, as well as the fact that motor and cognitive abilities are very important in the overall processes of growth and maturation of children, a group of authors from the region, headed by Dr. Boris Banjević from the Faculty of Sports and Physical Education from Nikšić, conducted research whose the results were published in the prestigious "International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health" (ISSN 1660-4601; JCR - Q1: Impact Factor: 4.614).
The aim of this research was to determine the differences between children of a healthy body weight and obese children of five to six years of preschool age in fine and gross motor skills and cognitive abilities. 91 respondents, children of preschool age (41 boys and 50 girls) participated in this transversal research. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated on the basis of body height and body mass measurements, and cut-off points according to WHO were used to assess childrens nutritional status. Fine motor skills were determined using two Bruininks-Oseretsky subtests (BOT-2), and gross motor skills were determined by the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2), while cognitive skills were tested by the School Maturity Test (TZŠ+). Based on the t-test of independent samples, a difference was found in two of the three variables of gross motor skills: manipulative skills and total gross motor skills between healthy weight and overweight children, while there was no difference in fine motor skills and cognitive abilities between these two groups. Given that significant differences were found between normal and overfed children in gross motor skills, and bearing in mind the small sample of subjects of a single age of preschoolers, further longitudinal studies are needed in order to understand the mechanisms of this problem, including the possible role of psychological factors.
Based on this research, the importance of engaging in physical activity, especially at an early age, should be emphasized. Therefore, preschools should adhere to the guidelines of the World Health Organizations Global Strategy on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Health. The practical implications for preschool children refer to the design of physical exercise programs that will affect fine and gross motor skills while simultaneously solving certain cognitive tasks.
Whole article available at: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/18/11325