Effects of locomotion task constraints on running in boys with overweight/obesity: the mediating role of developmental delays

Background Childhood obesity adversely affects the musculoskeletal system and is accompanied with motor development delays. Movement interventions that change the body composition and movement patterns is suggested as an effective way to minimise the childhood obesity adverse effects. Research question Whether a locomotion task constraints intervention is effective to change body composition, motor performance and running efficiency in overweight/obese boys with different levels of motor development. Methods Forty young boys (age: 8.21 ± 1.01 years) whose body mass index (BMI) was above the 85th normative ranked score were divided into 4 independent groups according to their development and BMI: intervention-typical, intervention-delay, control-typical and control-delay. A 6-week task constraints intervention with an emphasis on improving locomotion skills such as fast walking, running, jumping, hopping, skipping and leaping were carried out in the intervention group. Results The pre and post-intervention difference score on the sample dependent variables showed decreases in body mass and BMI and improvements in agility, joint kinematics and running economy in the intervention-typical group relative to other groups. Significance The findings highlight that the boys with overweight/obesity and typical development can benefit more from a short-term developmentally-appropriate intervention to refine the running pattern and agility skill that was accompanied by positive changes in body composition.