Relationships between Math Skills, Motor Skills, Physical Activity, and Obesity in Typically Developing Preschool Children.

There is evidence of a relationship between motor and cognitive development. The literature has shown that of all the motor skills, fine motor skills are those that contribute most to mathematical performance in preschool children. As this is a sensitive period in the development of motor skills, low levels of physical activity in this period can compromise their development and contribute to weight gain and obesity. The aim of this study was therefore to analyze the relationship between mathematical and motor skills, physical activity levels, and obesity. The sample consisted of 62 preschool children (32 males) with an average age of 4.63 ± 0.81. The Weschler preschool and primary scale of intelligence-revised arithmetic test was used to assess mathematical skills. The tests to assess fine motor skills were the "Adapted Threading Beads Test" and the "Adapted Visuomotor Integration Test". The movement assessment battery for children-2, band 1, "Aiming & Catching", and "Balance" tests were used to assess gross motor skills. Levels of physical activity were assessed using the "Preschool-age physical activity questionnaire" and obesity using the body mass index. The results indicated that only the fine motor skills of visuomotor integration were included in the multiple linear regression model (F < 0.001; r = 0.464; R