Weight status is associated with cross‐sectional trajectories of motor co‐ordination across childhood

Background Research indicates the development of motor co‐ordination ( MC ) may be an important contributing factor to positive or negative weight trajectories across childhood. Objectives To analyse cross‐sectional associations between MC and weight status in children (boys n = 3344 – girls n = 3281), aged 6–11 years and assess overweight/obese risk across different ages. Methods Body mass index ( BMI ) was calculated [body mass (kg)/height (m 2 )]. MC was evaluated using the K örperkoordination T est für K inder ( KTK ) and a motor quotient ( MQ ) was calculated. MQ distribution data were split into tertiles. The effect of age, sex and MQ tertiles on BMI and MC was tested with a factorial anova . A logistic regression also was performed to calculate odd ratios ( OR ) for being overweight/obese at each age. Results Children with higher MQ demonstrated lower BMI levels ( F (2,6224) = 222.09; P < 0.001). Differences in BMI among MQ tertiles became larger across age ( F (10,6224) = 4.53; P < 0.001). The OR of being overweight/obese in both sexes within the lowest MQ tertile increased in each age group from 6 to 11 years. Specifically, OR increased from 2.26 to 27.77 and from 1.87 to 6.81 in boys and girls respectively. Conclusions Children with low levels of MC have a higher risk of being overweight/obese and this risk increases with age.