Abstract
Background: Poor motor skill competence may influence energy balance with childhood overweight as a result. Our aim was to investigate whether the age of motor milestone achievement has changed over the past decades and whether this change may contribute to the increasing trend observed in childhood overweight. Methods: Motor skill competence was assessed in children from the Young Netherlands Twin Register born between 1987 and 2007. Follow-up ranged from 4 up to 10 years. Weight and height were assessed at birth, 6 months, 14 months, and 2, 4, 7, and 10 years. Results: Babies born in later cohorts achieved their motor milestones ‘crawling’, ‘standing’, and ‘walking unassisted’ later compared to babies born in earlier cohorts (N = 18,514, p < 0.001). The prevalence of overweight at age 10 was higher in later cohorts (p = 0.033). The increase in overweight at age 10 was not explained by achieving motor milestones at a later age and this persisted after adjusting for gestational age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Conclusion: Comparing children born in 1987 to those born in 2007, we conclude that children nowadays achieve their motor milestones at a later age. This does not however, explain the increasing trend in childhood overweight.
Highlights
Over the past decades the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased in children [1].Childhood overweight is of clinical interest because it tracks into adulthood [2,3] and it is associated with metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease [4].According to the developmental approach of Stodden [5], the potential role of motor skill competence may promote physical activity and weight status
Infants with a disability or illness that interferes with daily functioning were excluded (n = 22, 0.1%)
The stability over time in age of motor milestone achievement we found in twins for rolling and sitting is similar to the stability found over twenty years in singletons by Darah et al (2013) [27], the later achievement of other motor milestones we found in twins was not found in another study in singletons by Darah et al (2014) [28]
Summary
Over the past decades the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased in children [1].Childhood overweight is of clinical interest because it tracks into adulthood [2,3] and it is associated with metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease [4].According to the developmental approach of Stodden [5], the potential role of motor skill competence may promote physical activity and weight status. Motor skill competence may be one factor that explains the changes in energy balance over time, with childhood overweight as a result [6]. Poor motor skill competence may influence energy balance with childhood overweight as a result. Our aim was to investigate whether the age of motor milestone achievement has changed over the past decades and whether this change may contribute to the increasing trend observed in childhood overweight. The increase in overweight at age 10 was not explained by achieving motor milestones at a later age and this persisted after adjusting for gestational age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Conclusion: Comparing children born in 1987 to those born in 2007, we conclude that children nowadays achieve their motor milestones at a later age
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