Relationships between body mass index and some motor skills in six-year-olds

S obzirom na povećanje pretilosti djece predškolske dobi kako u Hrvatskoj tako i u svijetu, autorica rada je pokušala je u istraživanju utvrditi utječe li indeks tjelesne mase (ITM) na pojedine motoričke sposobnosti kod šestogodišnjaka. U istraživanju su sudjelovali 26 sudionika, od kojih je 14 dječaka i 12 djevojčica, iz privatnog vrtića u gradu Zagrebu. Sudionici su dobi od 5,9 godina do 6,11. Sudionicima su izmjerene antropometrijske karakteristike, te im je izračunat indeks tjelesne mase (ITM). Zatim su provedeni motorički testovi u kojima su se testirale motoričke sposobnosti: snaga, koordinacija, ravnoteža, gibljivost i brzina. Dobiveni rezultati pokazali su da je od cijelog uzorka sudionika 23,1% djece pothranjeno, 50% djece ima normalnu tjelesnu težinu, a vrlo zabrinjavajuće je to što je skoro 27% djece s prekomjernom tjelesnom težinom. Također, rezultati su pokazali da ITM ima značajan utjecaj na izvođenje pojedinih motoričkih testova, a pogotovo na test koordinacije, snage i ravnoteže.Considering the increase in obesity of preschool children both in Croatia and in the world, the author of the paper tried to determine whether the body mass index (BMI) affects certain motor abilities in six-year-olds. The study involved 26 participants, of whom 14 were boys and 12 girls, from a private kindergarten in the city of Zagreb. Participants ranged in age from 5.9 years to 6.11. Anthropometric characteristics were measured in the participants, and their body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Motor tests were then performed in which motor abilities were tested: strength, coordination, balance, mobility and speed. The obtained results showed that out of the whole sample of participants, 23.1% of children were malnourished, 50% of children were of normal body weight, and it is very worrying that almost 27% of children were overweight. Also, the results showed that BMI has a significant impact on the performance of certain motor tests, and especially on the test of coordination, strength and balance