The Impact of Body Weight towards Gross Motor Skill on 4–6 Year Old Children in Rural Preschools

Abstract

Gross motor skill is a crucial aspect for children in preschool age. This research aims to identify the impact of body weight towards 4-6 year old children's gross motor skill in rural preschools. Participants were divided into 3 groups: 30 underweight children, 30 normal weight children, and 30 overweight children. The result data was divided into two separate sections based on the age group: 4-5 year olds and 5-6 year olds. Based on the ANOVA test, there was no correlation between body weight and gross motor skill in 4-5 year old children (p>0.05). Inversely, there was a correlation between the two variables in 5-6 year old children (p<0.05). Children who were considered overweight have the smallest gross motor skill compared to other groups (M= 18.52). Conclusion: The data suggest that there is a difference between body weight and gross motor skill in 4-6 year old children in rural preschools. The next research should take a closer look at children's activity both at home and school.