Comparison Between Gross Motor Skills Performance and 7-Years-Old Children with Controlled Effect of Residential Area

Abstract

The underweight is a health problem and currently growing especially in low-and middle-income country and this problem need to be concern aside from overweight and obesity. The underweight is currently increasing due to the modernization that cause sedentary lifestyle and this lifestyle affecting children so much. The aim of this study is to identify the major and minor factor of gross motor skills from the underweight 7 years old children with controlled effect of residential location. Another aim is to compare the capabilities of gross motor skills performances between children's gender with the controlled effect of residential location. Participants are 5027 seven years old children, 3394 males with weight (±2.0247), height (±6.3803) and age (±0.2866) and 1634 female with weight (±0.2837), height (±1.9322) and age (±6.4188) from national primary school in 14 states in Malaysia. Weight status included are only underweight based on WHO standard. Parameter for gross motor skills are power (Standing Broad Jump), flexibility (Sit and Reach), speed (20 metre sprint) and coordination (Hand Wall Toss). PCA and MANCOVA were used to analyse the data. Result showing there are two major factors for gross motor skills for underweight 7 years old children and there is significant differences between genders in term of gross motor skills performances. The comparison shows male significantly (p<0.05) dominating female in term of power, speed and coordination while female significantly (p<0.05) dominating male in term of flexibility.