effect of a 12-week physical activity program on motor skills in overweight schoolchildren

Purpose: regular physical activity improves metabolic health and reduces the risk of obesity-related complications in overweight and obese children. this study aimed to evaluate the effect of a 12-week physical activity program on motor skills in overweight schoolchildren.methods: twenty overweight schoolchildren and 20 normal-weight schoolchildren volunteered to participate. before and after completing the physical activity program, participants were assessed for body weight, height, countermovement jump height, illinois agility, sit-and-reach flexibility, flamingo balance, and sprint performance over distances of 5, 10, 20, and 30 meters. the physical activity program incorporated exercises focused on developing fundamental motor skills, low-intensity movements, anaerobic training, dynamic warm-ups, balance and coordination drills, as well as perception and reaction exercises. motor skill performance was evaluated using standardized assessment tools and protocols, including observational motor skill tests, skill-specific checklists, technology-assisted methods, and rating scales.results: the intervention significantly improved body composition, flexibility, balance, and sprint performance in both overweight and normal-weight groups. the overweight group showed greater reductions in body mass (4.38%) and body mass index (bmi) (3.3%) and larger improvements in active jump height, illinois test performance, flexibility, balance, and sprinting. significant improvements were observed in both groups, with the overweight group showing greater reductions in body mass (4.38%, f=7.14, p=0.009) and bmi (3.3%, f=9.85, p<0.001) compared to the normal-weight group. active jump height improved by 8.69% (p=0.011) in the overweight group versus 4.88% in the normal group. sprint times across all distances improved significantly in the overweight group (p<0.05), with percentage changes ranging from 2.98% to 8.32%. these results highlight the program’s potential to address childhood obesity and enhance physical fitness.conclusion: the physical activity program improved body composition and motor skills in children, with more significant changes in the overweight group. these results highlight the program’s potential to address childhood obesity and promote physical fitness.