Nutritional Impacts on Physical and Motor Development

5. Nutritional Aspects

The effects of poor nutrition or malnutrition affect physical and motor development (Ds). In cases of malnutrition, the following must be considered:

• Time of occurrence.
• Severity of malnutrition (greater severity leads to worse physical Ds).
• Duration of this period (short periods allow for resilience).

Girls, due to their stable growth rate, better withstand the effects of malnutrition. Mainly, a deficit of protein and calcium in the maternal diet influences fetal development (Ds). Excess or deficit can have consequences beyond nutrition, such as rickets or obesity.

5.1. Malnutrition (MN)

Malnutrition can affect:

• The rate of growth.
• The final body size achieved.
• The composition of various tissues.
• The occurrence of certain maturation indices (e.g., menarche).

Malnutrition has deleterious effects, particularly during the first five years, which are crucial. Girls tend to have a greater capacity to tolerate malnutrition than boys. MN affects biological parameters, motor skills, and also behavioral aspects such as intellect, affection, or social skills. Malnutrition can also affect the ability to recover after a period of MN.

5.2. Obesity in Children and Adolescents

The newborn has approximately 16% fat composition. Adipocytes develop during early childhood and adolescence. Fat cells are used to:

• Save energy.
• Reduce heat loss.
• Generate body heat cover.

Today, excess fat negatively affects physical performance and academic achievement (AC). Diagnosis of overweight and obesity uses data from nutritional indices, skinfolds, and anthropometric data. Women typically have a higher percentage of body fat than men.

Etiology of obesity includes altered hormonal or hypothalamic factors, metabolic issues, and psychological factors, but hyperphagia combined with inactivity is the main cause. Nutritional errors (even minor ones), reluctance of some children to participate in sports, and the detrimental effect of physical inactivity due to study or television viewing also contribute. There is a high likelihood that obese children become obese adults, suffering from respiratory, circulatory, and skin problems. Overweight is defined as exceeding 15% of the appropriate weight for height, and obesity is defined as exceeding 30%.

5.3. Cycle of Obesity

According to Scheider (1985), the cycle of obesity involves:

Rejection of physical activity (AF) → Eating more for insulation/compensation → Low self-concept → Peer rejection → Obesity → Family pressure → Impairment of body image.