March 3, 2026Open Access

A study on the impact of childhood obesity on health-related physical fitness through motor coordination–related functional pathways

Key Points

Decreased health-related physical fitness is linked to childhood obesity, affecting overall well-being.
PBF is identified as a more stable predictor of physical fitness than BMI for children.
Observational analysis highlights the role of motor coordination in understanding the link between body composition and fitness.
Future intervention studies are necessary to explore directionality of these associations.

Abstract

Childhood obesity is closely associated with decreased health-related physical fitness, with PBF being a more stable predictor than BMI. Motor coordination represents one behavioral pathway that may partially explain the association between body composition and physical fitness performance. Given the cross-sectional design, these findings reflect statistical associations rather than causal or neuromotor mechanisms. Longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to further verify directionality.

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