Estado nutricional y coordinación motriz global en escolares de primaria de la Región de Murcia, España.

The objectives of the study were: 1) to analyze the differences in motor coordination according to nutritional status and 2) to examine the differences in anthropometric variables used to establish nutritional status according to motor coordination. Descriptive-cross-sectional study design. 157 schoolchildren aged 6-9 years (Region of Murcia, Spain) participated. The body mass index (BMI) was used to establish the nutritional status (normal weight vs. overweight-obesity). Motor coordination was measured with the GRAMI-2 test, calculating a motor coordination index (ICM). Participants were categorized according to the ICM (<P50 vs. ≥ P50). Differences between groups were analyzed with the U Mann-Whitney and Chi-square tests. Children with ICM values ≥ P50 presented a lower BMI (p = .017). In girls, no significant differences in BMI were detected according to the ICM. Children with ICM values ≥ P50 showed a higher prevalence of normal weight (p = .003). Girls with ICM values <P50 had a higher prevalence of normal weight (p = .024). Normal weight children performed better on the GRAMI-2 test (p between .05 and <.001), except for the ball throwing. Overweight-obese girls performed better on ball throwing (p = .006). The results show a lower BMI in children with better motor coordination. These differences are not observed in girls. Normal weight children have better motor coordination. In girls, there were no differences in motor coordination according to nutritional status, except for the shot put. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]