Poor co-ordination linked to obesity
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Bad co-ordination and physical control in childhood are linked to obesity later in life, a new study has found.
Research from the ongoing National Child Development Study in Great Britain looked at the hand control, co-ordination and clumsiness of children aged seven and 11.
The study then measured the body mass index of the subjects once they reached the age of 33.
Those that had poor co-ordination and hand control in childhood were more likely to have a body mass index of 30, where a person is defined as obese, or over.
The report’s authors, writing in the British Medical Journal, said: “Some early life exposures, such as maternal smoking during pregnancy, or personal characteristics may impair the development of physical control and co-ordination, as well as increasing the risk of obesity later in life.”
The National Child Development Study in Great Britain began in 1958 and follows more than 11,000 individuals.
