Clumsy children linked to obesity

Children with poor hand control and co-ordination could be at higher risk of obesity in later life. Youngsters who performed least well in tests assessing their cognitive and physical function were far more likely to be obese aged 33, research in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) has found. Those who were obese were 57 per cent more likely to have suffered poor hand control aged seven, more than twice as likely to have suffered poor co-ordination and almost four times as likely to have been clumsy. Researchers said the study added to the growing evidence of a link between poorer cognitive function in childhood and obesity and Type 2 diabetes in adulthood. They said poor cognitive impairment and dementia in obese adults was assumed to be a consequence of obesity. However, obese adults and those with Type 2 diabetes may already have lower levels of cognitive function in childhood, "consistent with a subtle developmental impairment". The research is based on 11,042 people taking part in the ongoing National Child Development Study in Great Britain, which began in 1958. Teachers assessed 7,990 pupils when they were aged seven to assess their ability in hand control, co-ordination, and "clumsiness". Of these, 6,875 were tested by a doctor aged 11 for hand control and co-ordination. Tests included copying a simple design to measure accuracy, marking squares on a paper within a minute, and the time in seconds it took to pick up 20 matches.

» More on this story... «

ITN | August 13, 2008

Tags:. .between. .marking. .linked. .hand. .children