| AIMS: Childhood overweight/and obesity is a recognised health problem worldwide and can have many negative physical and psychological effects on children.The aim of this study was to analyse the differences in body composition,motor ability and spatial cognitive ability in children of different weights and the effects of 8 weeks of neuromuscular training on body composition,motor ability and spatial cognitive ability in children of different weights.METHODS: Thirty overweight/obese students and 30 normal weight students in Year4 were recruited to receive either regular PE exercise three times a week for 8 weeks or regular PE exercise and neuromuscular training twice a week for 8 weeks,divided into 4groups: overweight/obese regular PE exercise group(n=15),overweight/obese regular PE exercise with neuromuscular training group(n=15),normal weight regular PE exercise with neuromuscular training group(n=14)and normal weight regular PE exercise with neuromuscular training group(n=15).15),the normal weight regular PE exercise group(n=14)and the normal weight regular PE exercise with neuromuscular training group(n=15).Height,weight,body composition(BMI,body fat percentage,muscle weight,waist-to-hip ratio),motor ability(Pacer run,50 m run,agility T-test,dynamic-static balance,hand-eye coordination,drawing tracking)and cognitive ability(mental rotation,spatial working memory)were assessed before and after the intervention,respectively,with the students maintaining their previous diet and activity habits during the intervention.All data were tested for normality and chi-squared,and two-sample t-tests were used for data that met normality and two-sample rank-sum tests for data that did not meet normality.The effects of the two intervention methods on various indicators in children of different weights were analysed,and univariate general linear models were used to analyse the motor and spatial cognitive abilities of children of different weights after the two interventions.RESULTS:(1)Comparison of baseline indicators showed that overweight/obese children had greater height(P=0.001),weight(P<0.001),BMI(P<0.001),waist-to-hip ratio(P<0.001),body fat percentage(P<0.001)and muscle weight(P<0.001)than normal weight children.Normal weight children had greater performance on the Pacer run(P<0.001),50 m run(P=0.015),Sensitivity T test(P<0.001),static balance(P<0.001),dynamic balance(P<0.001),hand-eye coordination(P=0.029),drawing tracking(P=0.003),mental rotation(P=0.015),and spatial working memory(P = 0.007)all outperformed the overweight/obese children on the test.(2)Height,weight,muscle weight and dynamic balance were all greater than before the intervention after 8 weeks of regular physical education for normal weight children(p<0.05),and height,weight,muscle weight,dynamic balance,sensitive t-test,Pacer run,hand-eye coordination,drawing tracking test,mental rotation and spatial working memory were all better than before the intervention after 8 weeks of the synergistic neuromuscular training intervention(p<0.05).The rest were not significantly different(P>0.05).The comparison between the two groups showed that the performance of dynamic balance,handeye coordination,drawing tracking and mental rotation and spatial working memory tests improved better before and after the synergistic neuromuscular training intervention than before the regular physical education exercise(P<0.05).After 8 weeks of regular physical education exercise in overweight/obese children,height,waist-to-hip ratio and dynamic balance were better than before the intervention(p<0.05)and weight was greater than before the intervention(p<0.05).After 8 weeks of the synergistic neuromuscular training intervention,height,waist-hip ratio,dynamic balance,sensitive t-test,Pacer running,hand-eye coordination,drawing tracking test,mental rotation and spatial working memory scores were found to be better than before the intervention(P<0.05),but the rest were not significantly different(P>0.05).The comparison between the two groups showed that the scores on the acerity T test,dynamic balance,hand-eye coordination,drawing tracking,mental rotation and spatial working memory tests improved better than those before and after the synergistic neuromuscular training intervention(P<0.05).(3)Regular PE exercise improved muscle weight and dynamic balance more in normal weight children than in overweight/obese children(p<0.01),and improved waist-to-hip ratio more in overweight/obese children than in normal weight children(p<0.05).Regular physical education exercise in conjunction with neuromuscular training improved waist-hip ratio and sensitivity T-test more in overweight/obese children than in normal weight children(P<0.05),and improved dynamic balance more in normal weight children than in overweight/obese children(P<0.05).There was no significant difference between the two types of training in terms of improvements in mental rotation and spatial working memory between overweight/obese and normal weight children.CONCLUSION:(1)Overweight/obese children are poorer than normal weight children in speed,endurance,agility,balance and coordination as well as mental rotation and spatial working memory.(2)Synergistic neuromuscular training improves balance,agility,endurance,coordination,mental rotation and spatial working memory in overweight/obese children.(3)Between children of different weights,synergistic neuromuscular training improves the dynamic balance between the agility of overweight/obese children and that of normal weight children.Synergistic neuromuscular training could be incorporated as part of the physical education curriculum in the future. |
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