Physical Fitness and Motor Skills of Five-Year-Olds with Different Weight-Height Proportions

Abstract

Abstract Introduction. Along with the progress of civilization, we observe changes in the growth environment of children and youth. Lifestyle changes translate into the morphofunctional development of adolescents. The aim of the study was to show the influence of underweight and overweight on gross motor skills and physical fitness. Material and methods. A total of 435 five-year-old children participated in the study. Body height and weight were measured. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The research material was divided into three groups: underweight, with normal BMI, and overweight. The Test of Gross Motor Development TGMD II was used to assess motor skills. Fitness was assessed with the Sekita physical fitness test for preschoolers. For all test samples, arithmetic means and standard deviation were calculated. The statistical significance of differences between the groups taking into account the size of BMI was assessed using ANOVA and the Newmann-Keuls test. Moreover, the percentage of underweight and overweight girls and boys as well as those with normal BMI was estimated. Sexual dimorphism between the groups was calculated using the χ2 test. Results. There were no statistically significant differences in the locomotor skills and the ability to handle sports equipment in 5-year-olds with different BMI. On the other hand, a trend of better motor skills was observed in children with normal BMI compared to their underweight and overweight peers. Such significant correlations were not found in motor skills. Conclusions. It can be assumed that the 5th year of life is still too early a period in ontogenesis to search for significant correlations between motor skills, physical fitness, and body build.