title: Physical fitness and overweight in Israeli children with and without developmental coordination disorder: gender differences.
abstract: Physical fitness and overweight among children has become paramount in the general population and more so in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). The purpose of the current study was to examine the association between physical fitness and overweight in a sample of Israeli children in comparison to typical children, and to examine gender differences. DCD was identified through total scores on the movement assessment battery for children 2 (MABC-2) equal to or less than the 16th percentile as well as parents' report that the child's deficits in motor skills interfered with at least two daily life activities. The sample included a group of children with DCD (n=22, M age=8.70 [SD=1.36], 16 boys [73%]) and a control group of typical children (n=47, M age=8.90 [SD=1.52], 34 boys [72%]). Measures included the strength subtest of the Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency (BOT-2), the six minutes' walk test (6MWT) with heart rate measure, BMI and the percentage of body fat. Significant differences between DCD and typical children were found on all variables of physical fitness and weight. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) analysis (group/gender) also revealed significant interactions for the percentage of body fat (F=8.51, p<.005) and BMI (F=4.50, p<.038) meaning that less fit children are more obese. The current study supports previous findings that children with DCD are less physically fit and more overweight compared to typically developing children. Moreover, in comparing between the genders, the girls in the study sample weighed more and had a significantly higher percentage of body fat than boys, it is essential to further our understanding of the relationships between obesity, physical fitness and gender among children with and without DCD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Professions, Ono Academic College, Israel. Electronic address: niritlif@gmail.com.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lifshitz
authors.affiliation: School of Occupational Therapy, Hebrew University Jerusalem, Israel; Alyn Hospital, Pediatric & Adolescent Rehabilitation Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raz-Silbiger
authors.affiliation: School of Occupational Therapy, Hebrew University Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Weintraub
authors.affiliation: Alyn Hospital, Pediatric & Adolescent Rehabilitation Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Steinhart
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, College of Health Professions, University of Southern California, LA, USA.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Cermak
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Health and Medical Professions, Ono Academic College, Israel.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Katz
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: BMI; Body fat; Developmental coordination disorder; Gender; Overweight; Physical fitness