The relationship among motor proficiency, physical fitness, and body composition in children with and without visual impairments.
This study compares the motor skills and physical fitness of school-age children (6-12 years) with visual impairments (VI; n = 60) and sighted children (n = 60). The relationships between the performance parameters and the children's body composition are investigated as well as the role of the severity of the impairment. The degree of VI did not differentially affect the outcomes. Compared to their sighted peers, the children with VI scored lower on the locomotor and object control skills as assessed with the Test of Gross Motor Development-2, and the physical fitness (Eurofit) parameters of plate tapping, the standing broad jump, the modified 5 x 10-m shuttle run, and 20-m multistage shuttle run (20-MST). Their body mass and body fat indexes were inversely correlated with the standing broad jump and the 20-MST but positively correlated with handgrip strength. Moreover significant inverse correlations were found between their locomotor and object control skills on the one hand and plate tapping and the 5 x 10-m shuttle run on the other hand. Given the relatively high proportion (25%) of overweight/obese children within the VI sample, educators are recommended to promote health-related activities and help enhance motor skills in this population.
Center for Human Movement Sciences at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands. s.houwen@med.umcg.nl
Suzanne
S
Houwen
Esther
E
Hartman
Chris
C
Visscher
D001823:Body Composition; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*