Methodology/Technique - The research was conducted on a homogeneous sample of 147 four-year-old children (±4 months) from the Rijeka region, Croatia. A system of 17 variables was applied, including 9 morphological measures (body mass, height, BMI, skinfolds, circumferences) and 8 motor-functional measures (coordination, strength, flexibility, and aerobic endurance). Data were analysed using central and dispersion parameters, Pearson correlation, and canonical correlation analysis.

Findings and Novelty - The results indicate a significant multivariate relationship between the two systems (Rc = .58, p = .01), suggesting that children with a more harmonious physique achieve better motor and aerobic outcomes. Body height showed a strong positive association with explosive strength but a negative correlation with coordination. A key novelty of this study is its focus on a narrowly defined age group of four-year-olds and the provision of updated empirical evidence from a specific regional context, indicating a slight decline in motor-functional characteristics over the last decade relative to earlier benchmarks.

Type of Paper - Empirical

Keywords: children, morphological characteristics, motor-functional characteristics, relations, connections.

JEL Classification: 120, J24.

URI: https://gatrenterprise.com/GATRJournals/JBER/vol11.1_1.html

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35609/jber.2026.11.1(1)

Pages 50–56