## 4 Discussion
The usefulness of the functional reach test as a viable tool for measuring balance in children (5-15 years) is supported by [84], although other sources also identify the role of spinal flexibility in test performance. Highlighting the poorer performance of obese people (both genders) for the functional reach test, as well as impaired walking quality, compared to normal weight subjects is supported by [85]. We did not find significant differences between the BMI levels in this test (even if the normal weight participants have the best results), but we do report significant differences between the genders, with superior performance of women. Problems related to maintaining static balance in the standing one leg and standing on pitoes variants for children in Brazil (6-9 years old), but also the determination of some negative correlations between high BMI/overweight values and values on balance tests, are mentioned by [86]. The investigation, performed on young athletes (x = 21.34 years), shows positive correlations between BMI, body mass and height with dynamic balance. Even if athletes with high BMI and body mass values achieve better postural balance, they have greater problems when they lose their balance and try to rebalance their body. The authors recommend for those of tall stature to be involved in several balance workouts, for success in dynamic sports activities [87]. We also found lower balance values for those with high BMI values, in the applied dynamic tests. The chances of a child having balance problems will increase with BMI values, so controlling body weight in children (6-12 years) through physical activity is very important. The link between high BMI values and the low fitness level of low-income children in Ghana and South Africa--as a predictor of limited motor skills--is highlighted by [88]. An analysis of the relationship between postural stability with BMI and gender variables for healthy young people (x = 21.7 years) found that women have greater postural sway than men. Obese people perform poorly on bipodal and unipodal balance tests compared to underweight and normal weight people [89]. This aspect was also confirmed by our study. A study aimed at gender differences in the expression of motor skills of elementary school students (6-8 years) highlighted that girls perform better in static and dynamic balance tests and boys in the agility tests [90]. Our research indicates the superior results of boys in the Bass test (which involves alternating jumps and changing direction, from one foot to the other, while maintaining balance), so it confirms a better agility, but without statistical significance. The usefulness of the Fukuda test as a predictor of benign paroxysmal postural vertigo is highlighted by [91]. Although the test has a lower sensitivity, it is useful in signaling/diagnosing mild and moderate unilateral vestibular dysfunctions. Our study identifies such issues only for overweight people, especially men. The balance is better with age; a study on Turkish athletes (x = 13 years old) showed better scores for those who do individual sports at the expense of sports games, but where there are better reaction times [92]. Investigations about gender and age stage balance highlight that there are similar values recorded only for the 20-49 years age range, with decreases after 50 years. Men perform slightly better than women, and normal weight women have better scores than overweight women [93]. We identified similar results, but with insignificant superiority of men only for 3 situations (stock test, Bass test and Fukuda test). Judo practitioners and sports dancers perform better on open-eye balance tests compared to non-sports groups, which demonstrates the importance of sports activities in optimizing balance. However, judokas have higher values than dancers in closed-eye tests, as an effect of proprioceptive adaptations, with implications in maintaining balance [94]. Gymnasts have the best balance performance, followed by football players, swimmers and basketball players.