Associations Between Motor Competence And Body Composition Variables In A Diverse Sample Of Children

Childhood obesity and inadequate physical activity are associated with adverse health problems later in life. Motor competence in children is critical in promoting engagement in physical activity later in life. Evidence supports an inverse relationship between weight status and motor competence. However, information is lacking concerning the directionality of the body composition and motor competence relationship, and there is a need to include larger, more diverse samples. PURPOSE: To assess the association of motor competence and measures of body composition in a diverse sample of elementary students, taking age, race, and sex into account. METHODS: Children (n = 305; 8.1 ± 1.0 years old; 50.5% female; 42% black and mixed) from areas in and surrounding Flint, Michigan, were participants. Motor competence was assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. Body composition was measured with height and weight on a bioelectric impedance scale and Gulick tape for waist circumference. Demographic differences were detected using independent samples t-test. Linear regression was used to test if motor competence (locomotor, object control, and total score) was significantly associated with body composition (BMI z-score, percent body fat, and waist circumference). RESULTS: Compared to white children, black and mixed-race children had higher BMI (17.5 ± 3.2 vs 19.5 ± 5.2 kg/m2), BMI z-score (0.41 ± 1.0 vs 0.96 ± 1.1), percent body fat (21.8 ± 7.4 vs 25.5 ± 10.2%), waist circumference (60.3 ± 8.2 vs 63.3 ± 13.2 cm), and lower motor competence (total scores 63.3 ± 14.5 vs 58.4 ± 16.5). Significant associations were found among all 3 body composition indicators and locomotor and total score (negative associations with β from -.01-.42 and R2 from .09-.21). Object control scores were only significantly associated with waist circumference (β = -.14, R2 = .13). In most significant models, age, race, and sex had stronger associations with body composition compared to motor competence. CONCLUSION: Although models showed significant associations between motor competence and body composition variables, demographic variables were more related to outcomes than motor competence variables, similar to previous literature. The proportion of variance accounted for suggests other variables are also related to body composition.