Assessing physical activity levels, body mass index, and waist circumference in children with and without developmental coordination disorder

Resumen

Objective: To evaluate differences in levels of physical activity, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference between children with DCD and their typically developing (TD) peers. Additionally, we correlated motor performance, BMI, and physical activity levels in these children. Method: Three hundred twenty-nine children aged 7-10 years participated: 96 with severe DCD (s-DCD), 94 with moderate DCD (m-DCD), and 139 TD children. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC-2) and the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C) assessed motor performance and physical activity levels, respectively. Children's BMI and waist circumference (WC) were assessed using standard procedures. Results: Most children were classified as sedentary (74.0% s-DCD, 80.9% m-DCD, 71.9% TD). No significant diferences in physical activity levels were found between motor performance groups. Children with s-DCD had significantly larger waist circumferences (p < 0.01) and higher BMIs (p = 0.03) than the TD group. Conclusions: The low levels of physical activity observed, regardless of motor performance, are concerning. Children with s-DCD had significantly higher waist circumference and BMI than other groups, which is not explained by physical activity levels in this sample.