Obez, Aşırı Kilolu ve Normal Kilolu Çocuklarda Fiziksel Performansın Değerlendirilmesi

Öz

Amaç: Çocukluk çağında aşırı kilo ve obezite, denge, çeviklik ve alt ekstremite kuvveti gibi motor performans bileşenlerinde bozulmalarla ilişkilidir. Bu çalışmada, 6–11 yaş arası ilkokul öğrencilerinde obezite düzeyleri Beden Kütle İndeksi (BKİ) ve bel/boy oranı (BBO) kullanılarak sınıflandırılmış ve bu gruplar arasında motor performans özellikleri karşılaştırılmıştır.

Yöntem: Bu kesitsel çalışmaya, bir Sağlıklı Yaşam Merkezi’ne başvuran 6–11 yaş arası (yaş ortalaması 8,61±1,32 yıl) toplam 201 ilkokul öğrencisi dahil edildi. Boy uzunluğu, vücut ağırlığı, bel ve kalça çevresi ölçülerek BKİ ve BBO hesaplandı. Çocuklar BKİ’ye göre normal kilolu, fazla kilolu ve obez olarak; BBO’ya göre abdominal obezite varlığına göre gruplandırıldı. Motor performans, tek ayak denge, çeviklik, durarak uzun atlama ve 30 saniye otur-kalk testleri ile değerlendirildi.

Bulgular: Çocukların %29,4'ü normal kilolu, %14,9'u fazla kilolu ve %55,7'si obezdi. Ayrıca çocukların %71,6'sında abdominal obezite vardı. Cinsiyete göre BKİ ve BBO açısından fark bulunmadı (p>0,05). BKİ ve BBO değerlerindeki artış, çeviklik süresinin uzaması ve durarak uzun atlama mesafesi ile otur-kalk tekrar sayısının azalmasıyla ilişkiliydi (p<0,001). Ayrıca BKİ, motor performansın anlamlı bir yordayıcısıydı (p<0,001).

Sonuç: Genel ve abdominal obezite özellikle çeviklik ve alt ekstremite kas gücü olmak üzere, ilkokul çağındaki çocuklarda motor performansı olumsuz etkilemektedir. Bu bulgular, ilkokul çağındaki çocuklarda obeziteyle ilişkili motor performans bozuklukları için erken tarama ve müdahale stratejilerine duyulan ihtiyacı vurgulamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Abdominal yağlanma
• Beden kütle indeksi
• Bel-boy oranı
• Çocukluk çağı obezitesi
• Motor performans

Destekleyen Kurum

Yazarlar çalışmanın herhangi bir fon almadığını beyan etmektedirler.

Etik Beyan

Bu çalışma Afyonkarahisar Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Müdahale Olmayan Bilimsel Araştırmalar Etik Kurul'dan onay alınmıştır. Sayı: 2025/397; Tarih 13.06.2025

Assessment of physical performance in obese, overweight and normal-weight children

Öz

Objective: Childhood overweight and obesity are associated with impairments in motor performance components such as balance, agility, and lower extremity strength. This study aimed to classify obesity levels in primary school children aged 6–11 years using Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and to compare motor performance characteristics across these groups.

Method: This cross-sectional study included 201 primary school children aged 6–11 years (mean age: 8.61±1.32 years) who applied to a Healthy Living Center. Anthropometric measurements included height, body weight, waist and hip circumferences, from which BMI and WHtR were calculated. Children were classified as normal weight, overweight, or obese according to BMI and grouped according to the presence of abdominal obesity based on WHtR. Motor performance was assessed using standardized protocols including single-leg balance, agility, standing long jump, and the 30-second sit-to-stand test.

Results: Among the children, 29.4% had normal weight, 14.9% were overweight, and 55.7% were obese, and 71.6% also had abdominal obesity. No significant differences were found between sexes in terms of BMI and WHtR (p>0.05). Higher BMI and WHtR values were significantly associated with prolonged agility performance and decreased standing long jump distance and sit-to-stand repetitions (p<0.001). In addition, BMI was a significant predictor of motor performance (p<0.001).

Conclusion: General and abdominal obesity negatively affect motor performance in primary school children, particularly agility and lower extremity strength. These findings underline the need for early screening and intervention strategies for obesity-related motor performance impairments in primary school children.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Abdominal fat
• Body mass index
• Childhood obesity
• Motor performance
• Waist to height ratio

Destekleyen Kurum

The authors declare the study received no funding.

Etik Beyan

The study was approved by the Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University Non-Interventional Scientific Research Ethics Committee (Approval no: 2025/397; date 13.06.2025).

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