Despite the health-related implications of normal-weight obesity in children, very little research has explored the fundamental associations between this status and important long-term health parameters. The research group from Prague, Coventry, Ústí nad Labem and Munich have therefore addressed the issue with the aim of investigating the physical fitness of children with normal-weight obesity, in comparison to normal-weight non obese and overweight and obese counterparts.
A total of 328 middle-school-aged children (9.8 ± 0.5 y) took part in this study (n = 44 normal-weight obese; n = 237; normal-weight non obese; n = 47 overweight and obese). Height, weight, and body-fatness were measured. Four physical fitness tests were conducted: (1) Multistage fitness test; (2) shuttle run 4 × 10 m; (3) sit-ups for 60 s; (4) the broad jump. Welch’s analysis of variance (ANOVA), stratified by sex, with post-hoc testing where necessary, was performed. Children with normal-weight obesity had significantly (p < 0.01) lower cardio-respiratory and muscular fitness than normal-weight non obese peers. In addition, normal-weight obese and overweight and obese boys had comparable deficits in strength and explosiveness of lower limbs, speed coordination, and endurance, compared to normal-weight non obese counterparts. Normal-weight obese children appear to have similar deficits in PF as their overweight and obese peers, compared to normal-weight non obese counterparts, whilst boys had larger deficits than girls.
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Musálek, M., Clark, C.C.T., Kokštejn, J., Vokounova, Š., Hnízdil, J. & Mess, F. (2020). Impaired Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Muscle Strength in Children with Normal-Weight Obesity. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17, 9198. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17249198