Perceptual and motor skills
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Relations of changes in Body Mass Index and voluntary physical activity, with sex, were assessed in children participating in the Youth Fit For Life after-school care program. Consistent with previous reviews and meta-analyses on children, the present physical activity effect sizes for improvements in Body Mass Index and voluntary moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were greater for girls (n = 75) than for boys (n = 60; overall M(age) = 9.8 yr., SD = 0.8). ⋯ When scores at baseline were controlled, correlations for sex with changes in the preceding measures over 12 wk. were not significant (r(12.3) = .06 and .15, respectively). Further study of the implications of children's sex in the health behavior-change process was suggested.