Motor competence and body mass index in the preschool years: a pooled cross-sectional analysis of 5545 children from eight countries

Martins, C., Romo-Perez, V., Webster, E.K., Duncan, M., Lemos, L.F., Staiano, A.E., Okely, A., Magistro, D. ORCID: 0000-0002-2554-3701, Carlevaro, F., Bardid, F., Magno, F., Nobre, G., Estevan, I., Mota, J., Ning, K., Robinson, L.E., Lenoir, M., Quan, M., Valentini, N.C., Cross, P., Jones, R., Henrique, R., Chen, S.-T., Diao, Y., Bandeira, P.R. and Barnett, L.M., 2023. Motor competence and body mass index in the preschool years: a pooled cross-sectional analysis of 5545 children from eight countries. Sports Medicine. ISSN 0112-1642

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Abstract

Background and Objective: One in five preschool children are overweight/obese, and increased weight status over time increases the risks of poorer future health. Motor skill competence may be a protective factor, giving children the ability to participate in health-enhancing physical activity. Yet, we do not know when the relationship between motor competence and weight status first emerges or whether it is evident across the body mass index spectrum. This study examined the association between motor skill competence and body mass index in a multi-country sample of 5545 preschoolers (54.36±9.15months of age; 50.5%boys) from eight countries.

Methods: Quantile regression analyses were used to explore the associations between motor skill competence(assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development, Second/Third Edition)and quantiles of body mass index(15th; 50th; 85th;and 97th percentiles), adjusted for sex, age in months, and country.

Results: Negative associations of locomotor skills, ball skills, and overall motor skill competence with body mass index percentiles (p<0.005) were seen, which became stronger at the higher end of the body mass index distribution (97th percentile). Regardless of sex, for each raw score point increase in locomotor skills, ball skills, and overall motor skill competence scores, body mass index is reduced by 8.9%, 6.8%,and 5.1%, respectively, for those preschoolers at the 97th body mass index percentile onwards.

Conclusions: Public health policies should position motor skill competence as critical for children’s obesity prevention from early childhood onwards. Robust longitudinal and experimental designs are encouraged to explore a possible causality pathway between motor skill competence and body mass index from early childhood.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Sports Medicine
Creators:	Martins, C., Romo-Perez, V., Webster, E.K., Duncan, M., Lemos, L.F., Staiano, A.E., Okely, A., Magistro, D., Carlevaro, F., Bardid, F., Magno, F., Nobre, G., Estevan, I., Mota, J., Ning, K., Robinson, L.E., Lenoir, M., Quan, M., Valentini, N.C., Cross, P., Jones, R., Henrique, R., Chen, S.-T., Diao, Y., Bandeira, P.R. and Barnett, L.M.
Publisher:	Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date:	25 September 2023
ISSN:	0112-1642
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1007/s40279-023-01929-7 DOI 1809175 Other
Rights:	This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40279-023-01929-7
Divisions:	Schools > School of Science and Technology
Record created by:	Laura Ward
Date Added:	27 Sep 2023 08:35
Last Modified:	27 Sep 2023 08:35
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/49821

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