Abstract
Sleep disorders are frequently associated to obesity, a major public health problem affecting adults as well as a large proportion of children in western countries. Unhealthy lifestyle habits and eating behavior, lack of physical activities are risk factors to develop obesity with consequences on quality of sleep. Despite children enjoy movement; sedentary behavior and lack of environmental opportunities for active play dominate in the preschool child day. Here we discuss the relationship between sleep, physical activity and health, with special interest on obesity. Providing appropriate conditions for children engagement in physical activities is mandatory in western Countries where social organization and cultural tradition limit the opportunities for movement. Improving acquisition of motor competences in children is a must that also involves health professionals as physical activity provides benefits on individual fitness levels and of quality of sleep. In the following pages we will review the links connecting physical activity and obesity with sleep and related disorders. We will then focus on the recent evidences on the determinants of child motor development which provide the scientific rationale for educational interventions promoting quality of health and sleep.