Does Increasing Body Weight Negatively Impact Children’s Muscular Flexibility in Saudi Arabia?

Abstract

Background and Aims: The incidence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents is rising. The rise in weight and obesity impairs Saudi children’s physical activity and muscular flexibility, especially during the pandemic. However, few studies focus on the relationship between weight and physical fitness in Saudi. Therefore, this study aims to perform among Saudi Arabian children to assess the relationship between muscular flexibility and weight. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 195 children aged 6 to 13 was performed in Saudi Arabia. Children who had not previously experienced musculoskeletal pain, neurological disorders, or congenital or acquired spinal deformities were included. For this study, weight and height measurements were taken to calculate body mass index (BMI) in kg/m2, and a sit-and-reach (STR) test was measured to determine muscular flexibility in centimeters. Results: The Pearson correlation between STR and weight was negative (-0.26), with a 95% CI of -0.39 to -0.13, indicating a weak but statistically significant relationship between STR and weight. While controlling for other variables in the model, the regression analysis revealed that for every unit (kg/m2) increase in BMI, muscular flexibility decreased by 0.147 units on average (Beta =-0.147; [95 percent CI: -2.07- (-0.039)]. Gender and muscular flexibility were found to have a negative relationship (Beta =-0.078; [95 percent CI: (-2.98) to (0.86)]. Conclusions: Being overweight and obese were inversely related to muscular flexibility as measured by STR, with no meaningful distinctions between boys and girls.