Ô he effect of sex and obesity on specific motor skills of Greek children aged 8 years old

SUMMARY The purpose of this study was to assess specific motor skills of Greek children 8 years old, according to sex and whether they were obe se o r not. A sample o f 411 children (195 boys and 216 girls) participated in the study. They took part in the first Phase of the National Program of Development of the General Secretariat of Sports, which was accomplished by the Office o f Physical Education o f Thessaloniki. Children’s’ weight and height had been measured and the Body Mass Index (BMI) was estimated. BMI was used as obesity index, and then the children underwent the following tests: 30-m run, 20-m shuttle run, standing jump and reach and 1kg medicine ball throw. There was not any difference between the two sexes in somatometric characteristics (p>0.05). However differences were found in the above motor skills. The boys had better scores in all tests, in comparison with the girls (p<0.01). The non obese children had better performance than the obese ones in the 30-m run (p<0.01), 20-m shuttle run (p<0.01). On the other hand, the obese children had better scores in 1kg medicine ball throw (p<0.05). Thus, we conclude that boys excel in these specific motor skills in regard to girls, with ou t being superior in somatometric c haracteristics and that obesity affects in a negative way the motor skills that were tested, apart from the throw, which was positively affected.