Background: Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) often struggle with processing information, which can impact their coordination, balance, and other motor skills. Studies have demonstrated that intervention programs based on sensory integration can enhance motor performance in these children. Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the applicability of a standardized battery of gross motor skill tests for Moroccan children aged 6 to 12 years with ASD. The objective is to assess the potential efficacy of an innovative pedagogical approach focused on sensorimotor integration and hyperstimulation. This approach will be compared to traditional physical education (PE) sessions to determine its feasibility and potential to bridge the developmental gaps in motor skills between children with ASD and those with a neurotypical profile. Methods: A convenience sample of 14 Moroccan children with ASD aged 6 to 12 years participated in this exploratory study. Children with ASD were divided into an experimental group (n=7) and a control group (n=7) based on age, sex, motor performance, and socioeconomic status. The control group followed the standard PE program, while the experimental group underwent a specialized program combining sensorimotor integration and hyperstimulation for a period of 15 weeks. All participants were classified as level 2 (moderate) on the Autism Severity Rating Scale based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR) criteria. Gross motor skills were measured at baseline and after 15 weeks of intervention using the UQAC-UQAM (University of Québec in Chicoutimi-University of Québec in Montréal) test battery protocol, which includes 10 items. Results: At baseline (T1), no significant difference was observed between the control and experimental groups of children with ASD. Following the 15-week intervention, the group participating in traditional PE showed an overall improvement in motor skills of approximately 14.5%. Conversely, the results of the ASD experimental group suggest a more substantial improvement of 44.5%. Additionally, the experimental group exhibited significant better performance across all motor skill variables compared to the control group (minimum P values of <.02) with large effect sizes (>0.80). In this regard, a 2-way repeated measures ANOVA confirms the efficiency of the program implemented within the experimental group, demonstrating significant effects associated with both group and time factors as well as a clinically highly significant group×time interaction across all measured variables (η2p>0.14). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the approach that emphasizes sensorimotor integration and management of hyperstimulation was more effective in improving motor skills in this population. However, other more exhaustive studies will need to be carried out in order to be able to more precisely measure the full potential of this approach.

Background: In addition to the inherent challenges of their condition, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are also susceptible to the global obesity epidemic. However, concerning the prevalence of obesity within the Moroccan ASD pediatric population, data remain scarce. Methods: A total of 258 children (boys = 195) aged 6 to 12 years old (mean = 9.4 ± 1.4) diagnosed with ASD participated in this study. Besides the body mass and height, four significant anthropometric markers for assessing obesity were examined: body mass index (BMI), body surface area (BSA), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Each anthropometric marker was categorized into one of three cardiometabolic risk levels based on the Z-scores and their corresponding percentiles. The distribution was as follows: low risk (≤84th percentile), high risk (85th–94th percentile), and very high risk (≥95th percentile). Subsequently, a multiple regression analysis was employed to develop an algorithm that generates a composite risk score. This score incorporates all the anthropometric variables simultaneously, while also weighting their individual contributions to the cardiometabolic risk. Results: Children with ASD exhibit an anthropometric profile that markedly increases their susceptibility to cardiometabolic issues. While roughly 11% of the general Moroccan child population is overweight or obese, this figure soars to nearly 60% among children with ASD when considering the central adiposity markers. Furthermore, children from middle-class socioeconomic backgrounds display a more than threefold greater risk of developing overweight or obesity compared to their counterparts from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Conclusions: This study has, for the first time, provided an up-to-date overview of the cardiometabolic risk in Moroccan children with ASD using traditional anthropometric measurements. The primary risk factor is clearly linked to central (abdominal) adiposity, which is recognized as the most deleterious. This study highlights the need to include general and central obesity markers. This study underscores the importance of incorporating both general and central adiposity markers for a more comprehensive assessment, and it emphasizes the need for closer monitoring within this high-risk population.

Background: Adolescents who experience overweight or obesity commonly persist in these conditions into adulthood, thereby elevating their vulnerability to health issues. The focus of this study is on health risk markers such as body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), body surface area (BSA), and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). The objectives include updating normative values for BMI, WC, WHtR, and BSA in Canadian adolescents, establishing cardiometabolic risk zones, and developing a composite score considering both anthropometric and CRF markers. Methods: Involving 1864 adolescents, the study used the LMS method to generate percentile norms, stratified by age and sex. Cardiometabolic risk zones were established for each marker based on Z-scores, and a composite score was created. Results: An increase in WC of 5.8 and 7.4 cm for boys and girls, respectively, was observed since 1981. Forward multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess the robustness and validity of the proposed model. The results indicated that the model explained nearly 90% (R² = 0.890) of the common variance between the composite score and the retained independent variables. Moreover, the model demonstrated a mean absolute error (MAE) of approximately 6 percentiles, confirming its high precision. Furthermore, these analyses yielded key thresholds for identifying adolescents at risk: the 70th percentile for high cardiometabolic risk and the 85th percentile for very-high risk. Conclusions: Individually, WC or WHtR seem to be better markers for evaluating cardiometabolic risk than BMI during adolescence. However, CRF showed comparable importance to anthropometric markers in determining cardiometabolic risk. The simultaneous inclusion of anthropometric and CRF markers provides a better picture of the global cardiometabolic risk in adolescents.

Background: The harmonious development of gross motor skills (GMSs) is vital for children, fostering their physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional growth. This study aimed to achieve three primary objectives: (1) to establish standardized reference values for all GMS tests conducted; (2) to examine the impact of overweight and obesity on factors influencing the development of GMSs and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF); and (3) to investigate the relationship between GMSs and CRF levels and body image dissatisfaction among Canadian children from the province of Québec. Methods: The study encompassed 3144 children aged 6 to 12 years (1535 boys and 1609 girls) recruited from 24 elementary schools situated in five urban areas. Anthropometric measurements included body mass, body height, and body mass index (BMI). Physical performance was assessed using a maximal aerobic power test and 12 GMS tests, which comprised two segmental speed tests, four agility tests, two static balance tests, one simple reaction time test, and three coordination tests. Body perception and body image dissatisfaction were evaluated using a silhouette scale featuring two sets of nine drawings depicting a spectrum of body shapes ranging from very thin to obese. Results: Standardized normative values were established for each GMS test. GMSs demonstrated continuous improvement throughout childhood, albeit with a deceleration in progress during later developmental stages. At comparable age, boys generally outperformed girls on tests demanding greater strength, speed, or endurance, whereas girls exhibited superior performance in balance and hand–foot coordination tasks (p ≤ 0.05). However, segmental speed remained equivalent between sexes (p > 0.05). GMS and CRF were significantly influenced by obesity status. Children with a normal BMI demonstrated superior performance compared to their overweight or obese counterparts, particularly in tests requiring body mass displacement (p ≤ 0.05). Conversely, socioeconomic status exhibited no significant impact on body perception in boys (p = 0.106), but it was a notable factor among 6–8-year-old girls from lower socioeconomic backgrounds (p = 0.045). Conclusions: Obesity status is linked to diminished GMS performance, especially in tasks involving body mass movement. These findings underscore the importance of early intervention strategies to encourage an active lifestyle and promote a healthy body composition in children.

Background: The obesity epidemic among adolescents significantly impacts not only their physical health but also various psychological factors, including their perception of body image. Thus, this study pursued three main objectives: (1) to update the reference standard values for all the physical fitness tests performed; (2) to examine the impact of overweight and obesity on factors influencing physical fitness in adolescents; and (3) to determine the relationship between the physical fitness level and the body image dissatisfaction among a population of French-Canadian adolescents. Methods: A total of 1862 adolescents aged 12 to 17 (1008 boys and 854 girls) participated in this study. Data were collected from 12 French-language high-schools from different socioeconomic backgrounds and spread across four regions of the province of Québec, Canada. Anthropometric measures (body mass, body height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio) and fitness tests (aerobic power, anaerobic power, muscle endurance, muscular power, flexibility) were conducted. To assess adolescents’ body perception, a silhouette scale was used. Results: Standardized normative values were established for each fitness test (Lambda Mu Sigma; LMS method). In boys, performance generally improved with age, except for the V-test and sit-ups, which remained stable, and VO₂peak, which declined during adolescence in both genders (unpaired t-test and Cohen’s d effect size). In girls, only the vertical jump and 30 m sprint improved with age, while the other tests stabilized by age 13. Fitness level was significantly influenced by obesity status. Boys and girls with a normal BMI performed better than those who were overweight or obese (ANOVA = p < 0.001 and effect size F). Girls appeared to be less affected by obesity status, with differences between overweight and obese groups rarely being significant (p > 0.05). Fitness level was also linked to body satisfaction, with satisfied adolescents generally achieving better scores than dissatisfied ones, even among those with a typical BMI. Socioeconomic status did not impact body image perception in boys (p = 0.351). In contrast, girls from lower socioeconomic backgrounds exhibited significantly more negative perceptions (p = 0.002) than their peers from more affluent families. Conclusions: Obesity status is strongly associated with poorer performance on fitness tests. Conversely, higher levels of physical fitness are linked to improved body image satisfaction. This positive relationship between fitness and body image holds true even for individuals with a healthy body weight (typical BMI).

BACKGROUND Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) often struggle with processing information, which can impact their coordination, balance, and other motor skills. Studies have demonstrated that intervention programs based on sensory integration can enhance motor performance in these children. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to evaluate the applicability of a standardized battery of gross motor skill tests for Moroccan children aged 6 to 12 years with ASD. The objective is to assess the potential efficacy of an innovative pedagogical approach focused on sensorimotor integration and hyperstimulation. This approach will be compared to traditional physical education (PE) sessions to determine its feasibility and potential to bridge the developmental gaps in motor skills between children with ASD and those with a neurotypical profile. METHODS A convenience sample of 14 Moroccan children with ASD aged 6 to 12 years participated in this exploratory study. Children with ASD were divided into an experimental group (n=7) and a control group (n=7) based on age, sex, motor performance, and socioeconomic status. The control group followed the standard PE program, while the experimental group underwent a specialized program combining sensorimotor integration and hyperstimulation for a period of 15 weeks. All participants were classified as level 2 (moderate) on the Autism Severity Rating Scale based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR) criteria. Gross motor skills were measured at baseline and after 15 weeks of intervention using the UQAC-UQAM (University of Québec in Chicoutimi-University of Québec in Montréal) test battery protocol, which includes 10 items. RESULTS At baseline (T1), no significant difference was observed between the control and experimental groups of children with ASD. Following the 15-week intervention, the group participating in traditional PE showed an overall improvement in motor skills of approximately 14.5%. Conversely, the results of the ASD experimental group suggest a more substantial improvement of 44.5%. Additionally, the experimental group exhibited significant better performance across all motor skill variables compared to the control group (minimum P values of <.02) with large effect sizes (>0.80). In this regard, a 2-way repeated measures ANOVA confirms the efficiency of the program implemented within the experimental group, demonstrating significant effects associated with both group and time factors as well as a clinically highly significant group×time interaction across all measured variables (η2p>0.14). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that the approach that emphasizes sensorimotor integration and management of hyperstimulation was more effective in improving motor skills in this population. However, other more exhaustive studies will need to be carried out in order to be able to more precisely measure the full potential of this approach.