Weight-relateddifferences in motor competence ofpreschool children

Purpose of this study was to determine differences inmotor skills and abilities in 3–7-year-old children acrossdifferent weight categories, ranging from thin to obese. Atotal of 732 preschoolers (384 boys and 348 girls) attendingpublic kindergartens in Croatia participated. They weredivided into two age groups: under five years and over fiveyears and categorized according to body mass index (BMI)following WHO classifications. Measurements includedanthropometric assessments and motor evaluations usingthe Test of Gross Motor Development – Second Edition(TGMD-2) and the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of MotorProficiency – Second Edition (BOT-2). Data were analyzedwith Statistica v.13. The prevalence of obesity was 1.2%among children under five and 5.25% among those overfive, lower than rates reported in other European countriesand globally. Analysis of variance showed no significantdifferences in TGMD-2 scores across weight categories ineither age group. However, significant differences emergedin BOT-2 results: in both younger (F = 4.24; p < 0.01) andolder children (F = 5.72; p < 0.01), obese children achievedthe lowest scores, with post-hoc tests confirming significantdifferences between obese and normal-weight peers. Thesefindings suggest that while fundamental motor patternsremain preserved in overweight and obese preschoolers,difficulties arise in more physically demanding tasksrequiring strength and endurance. The results underscorethe importance of early and targeted interventions in preschool and sports settings to promote motor competenceand physical fitness in children of all weight categories.