Postural control in children with overweight and obesity: A review of literature

Overweight and childhood obesity have become a global health problem. As the incidence and severity of overweight and obesity in children continue to rise, determining the physio-logical effects and functional consequences are becoming increasingly important. The latter have been the least studied, underestimating its impact on motor performance. Postural control plays an important role in the motor development of the child, as it is necessary to achieve new postures in the early stages of life and to acquire more complex motor skills. This review reveals that children with overweight and obesity have a deficit of postural control evidenced mainly from static assessments in a force platform and the analysis of the excursion of the center of pressure. Among the causes of impaired balance in overweight children is the interaction of mechanical, sensory and neuromuscular factors. Poor postural control would lead to an increased risk of falls and injuries, delayed motor development, limited mobility, impaired gait, and difficulty in acquiring other motor skills.