title: Motor proficiency, strength, endurance, and physical activity among middle school children who are healthy, overweight, and obese.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare motor proficiency, strength, endurance, and physical activity among children from minority backgrounds who were healthy weight (HW), overweight (OW), or obese (OB).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-six children, aged 10 to 15 years, of mostly Hispanic ethnicity, participated. Children were categorized according to body mass index-for-age percentile. Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT2) Short Form, Sit-to-Stand (STS), Timed Up and Down Stairs, and 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) were administered. Physical activity was measured by using activity monitors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-five percent of children were classified as OW/OB. Children who were OB had lower mean BOT2, STS, and 6MWT performance than children of HW. Among children who were OW/OB, daily mean steps were lower and sedentary minutes higher than children of HW. In children who were OW/OB, body mass index was negatively correlated with BOT2, STS, and abdominal curls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children who are OB demonstrate greater impairments in motor proficiency, strength, and endurance and participate in less physical activity than peers of HW.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, USA. annabelng@att.net
authors.forename: Annabel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nunez-Gaunaurd
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Kathryn E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Roach
authors.forename: Tracie L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Neva J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Kirk-Sanchez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*