Obesity and Motor Skills

The Question:

Is there an association between obesity and fine motor skills?

The Study:  

The height, weight, and fine and gross motor skills of 5,100 preschoolers and 4,700 kindergartners were measured.

The Results:

Overall about 15 percent of the children studied were obese. The Yale researchers found no difference between the obese and non-obese children in tests of fine motor coordination. The obese children did worse only on the gross motor tests most directed to weight. For example, obese preschoolers jumped an average of 20 percent shorter distance than the non-obese preschoolers. For kindergartners, the distance was an average of 10 percent less.

Comment:

Parents of obese children 4 to 6 years old may feel slightly relieved by these findings. But the results shouldn’t be interpreted to mean parents should ease up on preventing childhood obesity.

Read More:

BMC Pediatrics, 05/12

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