Relationship Between Fundamental Motor Skill Proficiency and the Development of Overweight and Obesity in Normally Developing Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity has been recognized as a global challenge and poses a severe threat to the health and development of children. Mastery of fundamental motor skills is suggested to be closely related to reducing the risk of obesity. Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate and provide evidence regarding the correlation between fundamental motor skill proficiency and the development of overweight and obesity during the period from 2013 to 2025. Methods: Four databases were surveyed based on the PRISMA standards from January 2013 to April 2025. Studies exploring and analyzing the relationships between fundamental motor skills and overweight or obesity in children aged 3-12 were considered for inclusion. Results: Forty-seven articles were included, and a meta-analysis was done on 19 of these selected papers. The analysis revealed a statistically significant moderate correlation between overall FMS and BMI (r = -0.314, 95% confidence interval -0.330 to -0.298, p < 0.001) and small correlations for both locomotor skills (r = -0.270, 95% confidence interval -0.289 to -0.251, p < 0.001) and object control skill (r = -0.162, 95% confidence interval -0.182 to -0.142, p < 0.001) with BMI. Conclusions: There is a significant negative correlation between children's fundamental motor skills and weight status, with children of normal weight consistently outperforming children with obesity. Limited longitudinal evidence suggests that lower FMS levels may be associated with a higher risk of obesity. Further longitudinal and intervention research is needed to confirm its predictive value.