Building a Healthy Future: Functional Motor Skill Development in Precocious Prevention of Childhood Obesity

The rising prevalence of childhood obesity (CO) has been strongly linked to physical inactivity and sedentary behavior. Early development of functional movement skills (FMS) is crucial for fostering active lifestyles and preventing CO.

We assessed the FMS of 102 children aged 3-5 using the MOBAK test battery. Parents completed a Likert-scale questionnaire evaluating their perception of their child's motor competence.

A total of 102 children and 92 parents participated. Although 61.1% of children engaged in regular sports activities, only 20.5% reached a satisfactory MOBAK total score (Score 3). Significant gender differences emerged in locomotor skills (Score 2) and overall performance (Score 3), with p-values < 0.026 and <0.016, respectively. A significant negative correlation between BMI and Score 2 was observed (p < 0.030). Parents significantly overestimated their children's FMS (p = 0.0001).

Findings emphasize the importance of early interventions targeting FMS enhancement and parental education to effectively support CO prevention strategies and promote lifelong physical activity.