Fatness and fitness in relation to functional movement quality in overweight and obese children

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the independent and combined associations between several fatness indicators and fitness components with functional movement quality in overweight/obese children. A total of 56 children (33 girls, aged 8-12) classified as overweight/obese according to the World Obesity Federation standard cut points, participated in this study. Participants underwent assessments of fatness [body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and bioelectrical impedance measures], fitness [1 repetition maximum bench and leg press, and ALPHA test battery], and functional movement quality [4 tests from Functional Movement Screen TM (FMS)]. All fatness outcomes, except waist circumference, were negatively associated with total FMS score, after controlling for cardiorespiratory fitness. Cardiorespiratory fitness, lower limbs muscle strength, and speed-agility were positively associated with the total FMS score, regardless of BMI. Our results suggest that children with greater fatness indicators demonstrate lower functional movement quality independently of their fitness level, whereas children with better fitness level (i.e. cardiorespiratory fitness, lower limbs muscular strength, and speed-agility) demonstrate greater functional movement quality independently of their fatness level. However, children´s weight status seems to be more determinant than their fitness level in terms of functional movement quality, whereas being fit seems to moderately attenuate the negative influence of fatness.

Fitness, physical activity, working memory, and neuroelectric activity in children with overweight/obesity

“…On the other hand, speed agility was associated with shorter RT in both loads, indicating faster information processing speed regardless of the working memory demands. A recent study using the same sample as in the present research found that higher speed agility was associated with better movement competency . Proper movement competency is partly determined by a neuromuscular/motor control network, which may also relate to shorter RTs.…”

Is Adiposity Associated with the Quality of Movement Patterns in the Mid-Adolescent Period?

“…Previous studies have reported considerably larger inverse associations between BMI and FMS scores then in the current study (r ranged from -0.3 to -0.81) [19,20,34,40,41]. Notably, several studies have reported that the strength of the association between BMI and motor coordination declines as children start to reach puberty [62,63], which might explain some of the above-mentioned disparity in findings between the current and previous research.…”

“…Therefore, investigating relations between adiposity and FM is important for the musculoskeletal health of the mid-adolescents as well. Only a handful of studies have focused on studying movement quality and obesity in the paediatric population with the majority reporting an inverse relationship between FM and weight status [19,20,34,40,41], while only one study revealed no correlation between these two variables [42]. However, these studies have been performed on a small number of conveniently selected children, or recruited only participants with overweight/obesity, and did not include mid-adolescents.…”

Onde está a abordagem farmacológica no tratamento da obesidade infantil: uma breve revisão

“…(Fisher-Wellman & Bloomer, 2010). In this way, exercise-training will cause a decrease in lipids in the adipocytes, reducing fat mass concomitant to an improvement in the child's body composition (Molina-Garcia et al, 2019;K. S. Steinbeck, 2001).…”

“…The practice of regular exercise is seen as a fundamental instrument in the process of the prevention and treatment of obesity (Mogul, Irby, & Skelton, 2014), and childhood obesity (McCambridge et al, 2006;McManus & Mellecker, 2012), since it is associated with greater recruitment of muscle mass along with an increased local hyperemia, inducing improvement in lipid profile, glucose uptake and blood pressure control (Molina-Garcia et al, 2019;Monteiro et al, 2015;Mortensen & Saltin, 2014;Noland, 2015). A meta-analysis demonstrated that exercise is associated with a significant increase in adiponectin and maintenance of leptin and resistin levels (García-Hermoso et al, 2017).…”