Purpose: Physical activity (PA) is compromised in children and adolescents with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). The purpose of this study was to test a theoretical model linking DCD with 2 factors associated with increased risk for coronary vascular disease: (1) cardio-respiratory fitness (CF), and (2) relative body fat (BF), through physical activity.
Methods: A cross-sectional design was implemented using 571 elementary school students (313 males, 258 females). Evaluation of body fat using bioelectric impedance, cardio-respiratory fitness using Léger 20-meter Shuttle Run, and physical activity level was determined using the Participation Questionnaire. The short-form version Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency was used to verify DCD. We tested to see how much of the association between DCD and factors associated with increased risk for coronary vascular disease (percentage body fat and cardio-respiratory fitness) using multivariate ordinary least squares regression analysis.
Results: Regression modeling demonstrated that DCD was associated with increased body fat and low cardio-respiratory fitness. Physical activity was a significant mediator in the DCD-CF relationship. Physical activity was also a mediating factor in the DCD-BF relationship, albeit to a lesser extent.
Conclusions: Developmental coordination disorder is related with factors associated with increased risk for coronary vascular disease, including decreased cardio-respiratory fitness and increased body fat through the mediating influence of physical activity in children.