Do Girls with Excess Adiposity Perform Poorer Motor Skills than Leaner Peers?

The main aim of this study was to analyze the joint association of body fat percentage and physical activity levels on motor coordination scores in girls with different adiposity status. Sixty-eight school-aged children between 12 and 14 years participated in the study. Skinfold thickness was measured and the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder test was administered. Participants completed a self-reporting questionnaire on physical activity. Children’s adiposity status was attributed in according to age-specific cutoff points of a Brazilian database. Analysis of Variance was used to compare motor coordination scores among groups with different status of adiposity and physical activity. Girls with appropriate body fat percentage performed higher motor coordination scores than girls with excess adiposity, regardless of their physical activity levels (p < 0.05). Additionally, within groups with the same adiposity status, no differences were found in motor coordination scores (p > 0.05). Adiposity status was predominant over physical activity status when joint associations of body fat percentage and physical activity levels on motor coordination scores were analyzed in girls. In addition to metabolic and cardiovascular issues, the acquisition and/or maintenance of appropriate body fat levels in female students should be focused in physical education classes due to its association with motor skills performance.