Abstract
ObjectivesThe later achievement of gross motor milestones during infancy is associated with adiposity in early childhood. However, the associations between gross motor development and adiposity after entering primary school are unclear. This study examined the associations between the ages at which six gross motor milestones were achieved and adiposity during early school years.MethodsThis retrospective study was conducted in 2012 and 2013. Data were collected from 225 first-grade primary school children (mean age, 6.9 years; 39% girls). Adiposity was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and expressed as body fat percentage. Data describing the ages of achieving six gross motor milestones (holding head up, sitting, crawling, standing supported, walking supported, and independent walking) were obtained from the Maternal and Child Health Handbooks.ResultsMean body fat percentage was 21.7%. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that later ages of achieving crawling (p < .001 [95% confidence interval: 0.33–1.16]), standing supported (p < .001 [95% confidence interval: 0.64–1.65]), and walking supported [p = .013 (95% confidence interval: 0.13–1.07)] were associated with increased fat. However, the ages of achieving holding head up (p = .053), sitting (p = .175), and independent walking (p = .736) were not statistically significant.ConclusionsAchieving crawling, standing supported, and walking supported later predict increased body fat when aged 6–7 years. The practice of observing gross motor milestone achievements may allow early targeted interventions to optimize body composition before beginning school and thereby, potentially prevent childhood obesity.
Highlights
Childhood obesity is a public health priority (World Health Organization, 2016)
Maternal and Child Health Handbooks (MCHHs) data were collected from 240 participants; of these, 15 were excluded due to very low birth weights (< 1.5 kg) (n = 1) or because they were missing all data on gross motor development (n = 14)
While boys were generally taller [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.28 to 2.90], %Fat was found to be lower among boys
Summary
Childhood obesity is a public health priority (World Health Organization, 2016). Systematic reviews have shown that obesity during childhood tracks to adulthood (Simmonds et al, 2016; Singh et al, 2008), while increasing the risk of both all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in later life (Flegal et al, 2013; Prospective Studies Collaboration, 2009). Research has shown the existence of associations between excess body fat and cardiovascular disease risk factors during childhood (Going et al, 2011). This makes it crucial to identify childhood adiposity at an early time in order to implement effective strategies and interventions designed to prevent obesity across an individual’s life span. Benjamin Neelon et al (2012) found that achieving independent walking later was associated with overall adiposity in children aged three years (Benjamin Neelon et al, 2012) These findings together suggest that later achievements of gross motor milestones predict obesity during early childhood. Little is known about the associations between gross motor development and adiposity among children after they enter primary school
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