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Relationship between BMI, waist circumference, physical activity and probable developmental coordination disorder
Divya Joshi1, Cheryl Missiuna2, Steven Hanna1
1Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Children with probable developmental coordination disorder (pDCD) show increased BMI and waist circumference over time, with boys experiencing a faster rise. Physical activity did not influence this relationship but was linked to better body composition independently.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Developmental Disorders
- Body Composition Analysis
Background:
- Cross-sectional studies link developmental coordination disorder (DCD) to lower physical activity and higher weight.
- Longitudinal data on DCD's impact on body composition (BMI, waist circumference) over time is limited.
- The influence of sex and physical activity on the DCD-body composition relationship remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess changes in BMI and waist circumference in children with and without probable DCD (pDCD) as they age.
- To determine if sex influences the longitudinal relationship between pDCD and body composition.
- To investigate if physical activity mediates or moderates the association between pDCD and body composition over time.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal analysis of Physical Health Activity Study Team (PHAST) data.
- Inclusion of 2,278 children (9-10 years old at baseline, 103 with pDCD).
- Five-year follow-up using mixed-effects modeling to analyze changes in body composition.
Main Results:
- Children with pDCD exhibited higher BMI and waist circumference than controls, with this gap widening over five years.
- The association between pDCD and BMI over time differed by sex, with boys showing a faster increase.
- Similar sex-based trends were observed for waist circumference; physical activity was not a mediator/moderator but independently associated with lower body composition measures.
Conclusions:
- Probable DCD is linked to elevated body mass and waist circumference, key risk factors for chronic diseases.
- These findings highlight the long-term health implications of DCD on body composition.
- Early identification and intervention for DCD may be crucial for managing associated health risks.
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