(30-07-10) Overweight Children and Their Parents Underestimate Physical Competence

Most overweight children and their parents ranked the children?s levels of
physical competence lower, compared with normal weight children, based on data
from a study of 1,414 children aged 9 and 11 years and their parents.
The study findings were published online in the Journal of Science and
Medicine in Sport (J. Sci. Med. Sport 2010 [doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2010.04.002]).
The goal of the study was to compare children?s and parents? perceptions of
physical competence in overweight vs. normal weight children, said Dr. Rachel
A. Jones and her colleagues at the University of Wollongong in New South Wales,
Australia.
?Better understanding of these differences at different stages of development
may lead to identifying more specific and appropriate intervention points to
promote physical activity in overweight children,? the researchers wrote.
They evaluated 692 9-year-olds, of whom 189 (27%) were overweight or obese,
and 722 11-year-olds, of whom 196 (27%) were overweight or obese. The average
body mass indexes of the overweight and nonoverweight 9-year-olds and 11-year-
olds were 22 kg/m2 and 17 kg/m2, respectively, and 18 kg/m2 and 25 kg/m2,
respectively.
Among 9-year-olds, self-perceived physical competence was lower in overweight
vs. normal weight children, but most of these differences were not
statistically significant. There were two exceptions: Perceived ability to play
new sports was significantly lower among overweight boys, and the overall
perceived physical competence subtotal was higher in overweight girls.
Among 11-year-olds, boys who were overweight rated themselves as less
competent in sports and outdoor games, and more likely to watch rather than
participate, compared with their normal-weight peers. Similar trends were seen
in 11-year-old girls. In addition, 11-year-old boys? and girls? scores for
perceived athletic competence and total perceived physical competence were
significantly lower, compared with their normal-weight peers.
The researchers then asked parents to rate their children?s overall ability to
play sports and games and to rate the children on individual components,
including running, throwing, catching, kicking, and jumping. Parents of
overweight boys in both age groups perceived them as significantly less
competent at running, jumping, skipping, leaping, and hopping than did parents
of normal-weight boys. However, parents of overweight 9-year-old girls rated
only their daughters? ability to run significantly lower than did parents of
normal-weight 9-year-old girls. But for 11-year-olds, parents of overweight
girls rated their daughters? ability to run, jump, and leap significantly lower
than did parents of normal-weight girls.
Actual physical competence was assessed based on composite performance of four
skills. Trained assessors who were blinded to the actual study goals tested 9-
year-olds on their ability to hop, skip, side gallop, and throw. They tested
the 11-year-olds on their ability to run, throw, catch, and strike. The actual
composite scores for fundamental physical skills were significantly lower in
overweight boys in both age groups, compared with normal-weight boys, but only
differed significantly by weight in 11-year-old girls.
The researchers suggested that parents should reassure their overweight
children that they are capable of engaging in sports and exercise, and
encourage them to do so. Previous studies have shown that children?s
perceptions of their physical abilities are affected by their parents?
perceptions, they noted.
Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the results, but the current study
findings support data from previous studies showing reduced physical competence
in overweight or obese children, compared with leaner children. The data also
suggest that interventions to improve physical competence in children younger
than age 10 years could reduce the differences in both actual and perceived
physical competence between normal-weight and overweight or obese children, the
researchers added.
Dr. Jones and colleagues had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: univadis.it

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