Influence of Geographical Area and Living Setting on Children's Weight Status, Motor Coordination, and Physical Activity

Frontiers in Pediatrics

Giovanna Zimatore¹  Valentina Biino²  Matteo Giuriato²  Silvia Migliaccio³  Lavinia Falcioni³  Massimo Lanza⁴  Federico Schena⁴  Maria Chiara Gallotta⁵  Antonio Palma⁶  Giuseppe Battaglia⁶  Marianna Bellafiore⁶  Carlo Baldari⁷  Laura Guidetti⁸ 

[1] CNR (National Research Council) Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems, Bologna, Italy;Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy;Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of “Foro Italico”, Rome, Italy;Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement, University of Verona, Verona, Italy;Department of Physiology and Pharmacology “Vittorio Erspamer”, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy;Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy;Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, eCampus University, Novedrate, Italy;Department of Unicusano, University Niccolò Cusano, Rome, Italy;

关键词: overweight;    obesity;    movement skills;    gender;    geographical area;    living setting;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fped.2021.794284

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

This study was aimed (i) to examine the effect of living setting (rural vs. urban), geographical area (North vs. Center vs. South), and gender (boys vs. girls) on weight status, motor coordination, and physical activity (PA) level of Italian school-age children; (ii) to examine differences in the neighborhood walkability of different school areas from different geographical areas and living settings; and (iii) to examine whether motor coordination, PA level, geographical areas, living setting, neighborhood walkability, and gender could predict children's weight status. We assessed anthropometric parameters, gross motor coordination, and PA level in 1,549 children aged between 8 and 13 years. Results revealed that Central children had higher BMI than Northern and Southern children (η2 = 0.01). Moreover, Northern children showed the highest motor quotient (η2 = 0.148) and PA level (η2 = 0.02), followed by Southern and Central children, respectively. Children from the South of Italy attended schools located in neighborhoods with the highest Walk Score®. Urban children attended schools located in neighborhoods with a higher Walk Score® than rural children. Lower motor quotient (MQ), lower PA level, and living in a rural setting and in a car-dependent neighborhood were associated with a higher relative risk for obesity. Being a girl was associated with a lower relative risk for obesity. The alarming high percentage of overweight and obesity in children as well as motor coordination impairments revealed the urgent need of targeted PA interventions in pediatric population.

【 授权许可】

Unknown