STUDY OF BALANCE REACTIONS IN CHILDREN WITH OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY IN PRESCHOOL AGE

Abstract

Purpose. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of increased child weight on the balance reactions of preschool children with weight more than the established norms. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The object of study are 104 children aged 5-6 years in the period 2017-2018 on the territory of the town of Stara Zagora. Subject of the study are anthropometric parameters of preschool age children, their physical development and locomotor activity. Children were submitted to non-invasive measurements: inspection of the posture, anthropometric measurements (body height, weight, circumferences, caliperometry, foot status and flat foot grade diagnostics. The Romberg‘s test was used to evaluate the balance of preschool age children. Children had to keep balance with consequently with the left and right foot and the time was recorded in seconds.
Results. The analysis of average Romberg‘s test values did not show any significant age-related differences (?>0.05). Data confirmed expectations for better balance of older children and longer time for keeping a given position without changing body‘s position in space. The analysis of data did not reveal any significant differences by sex (?>0.05) in studied parameters. Comparison of balance with the left and right foot confirmed the presence of a direct, considerable statistically significant association between Romberg‘s test value in studied children (r=0.662, ?<0.0001). The effect of body weight on balance of children provided evidence for indirect moderate association of BMI and Romberg test value of right foot (r= -0.313, P=0.001) and indirect weak correlation of BMI and Romberg test value of left foot (r= -0.248, P=0.011). The results suggested that as body weight increases, the balance with both feet in studied children was worse. It was therefore shown that as circumference of the abdomen, hip and waist increased, the balance of 5 and 6 year-old children became worse. Foot balance in preschool age children correlated moderately with the strength of abdominal flexors and hip flexors. Also a direct moderate significant association with feet extensors and trunk extensors was found out. Observed correlations allowed suggesting that the better strength of abdominal, trunk and gluteal muscles resulted in better balance in children at 5 and 6 years of age. Conclusions. Additional studies on the relationship between overweight in children and balance are necessary during preschool years. These data could be useful for development of a specialised rehabilitation program in overweight preschool age children.