Associations between Physical Activity and Health Parameters in Adolescent Pupils in Egypt Influence of extracurricular sport activities on body composition and physical fitness in boys: a 3-year longitudinal study Increased physical activity and reduced adiposity in overweight Hispanic adolescents. Does school-based physical activity decrease overweight and obesity in children aged 6–9 years? A two-year non-randomized longitudinal intervention study in the Czech Republic Challenge! Health Promotion/Obesity Prevention Mentorship Model Among Urban, Black Adolescents Relations of moderate and vigorous physical activity to fitness and fatness in adolescents. Objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time: cross-sectional and prospective associations with adiposity in the Millennium Cohort Study Exercise training improves body composition, blood lipid profile and serum insulin levels in obese children. A school-based physical activity program to improve health and fitness in children aged 6–13 years ("Kinder-Sportstudie KISS"): study design of a randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN15360785] Effects of Child Care Intervention on Physical Activity and Body Composition. A comprehensive physical activity promotion programme at elementary school: the effects on physical activity, physical fitness and psychosocial correlates of physical activity. One-year changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior among adolescents: the Croatian Physical Activity in Adolescence Longitudinal Study (CRO-PALS). Effects of modifying physical activity and sedentary behavior on psychosocial adjustment in overweight/obese children. Effect on Physical Activity of a Randomized Afterschool Intervention for Inner City Children in 3rd to 5th Grade Childhood obesity: impact on cardiac geometry and function. Successful overweight prevention in adolescents by increasing physical activity: a 4-year randomized controlled intervention Cross-sectional and prospective associations between moderate to vigorous physical activity and sedentary time with adiposity in children
Physical activity ( PA ) could be protective against  hypertension  , atherosclerosis , coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease . This quantitative study assessed the association between a PA intervention and three anthropometric parameters ( weight , body mass index , body fat ) and four physiological parameters ( cholesterol level , systolic blood pressure , diastolic blood pressure , heart rate ) among secondary school pupils ( N = 160 ) in Egypt through the school term . The pupils were r and omised to an intervention group ( 80 pupils ) and controls ( 80 pupils ) . Measurements were obtained for all pupils twice : at baseline ; and then again after three months . The PA intervention programme comprised an ‘ afterschool ’ one hour of moderate exercise three times a week for three months . Both the controls and the intervention pupils attended the ‘ normal ’ exercise schedule provided by the school ; in addition , the intervention group attended afterschool PA programme from about 2–3 o’clock in the afternoon . At baseline , employing pupil ’s BMI , 27.5 % and 28.8 % of the intervention and control pupils respectively were classified as overweight . After three months , the percentage of overweight decreased to 12.5 % in the intervention pupils , while it increased to 37.3 % in the controls . At the end of the three months period , there were significant improvements across most anthropometric and physiological parameters of the intervention pupils when compared with the control children . The correlation coefficient of the improvements for the boys and the girls was 0.97 , indicating clearly that the intervention was having nearly the same beneficial effect for boys and girls . A moderate PA programme for a modest period of 3 months could be effective in maintaining or enhancing pupil ’s anthropometric and physiological parameters in comparison to the controls where there was deterioration in both parameters . Policy makers and secondary schools in Egypt might need to pay more attention to PA programmes conducted on school days , in order to motivate pupils to attend such programmes . There is also an urgent need to look at current PA systems within schools in Egypt in order to assess PA outside school times Objective : To analyse the effect of extracurricular physical activities on fat mass accumulation and physical fitness during growth in early pubertal males . Design : Longitudinal study .Subjects : A total of 42 male children ( 9.4±1.4 years , Tanner I – II and 12.7±1.5 years , Tanner III – IV , before and after the 3.3 years follow-up , respectively ) , r and omly sample d from the population of Gran Canaria ( Spain ) , 26 of them physically active ( PA , at least 3 h per week during 3 years ) and 16 non-physically active ( non-PA ) . Measurements : Body composition ( dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry ) , anthropometrics ( body circumferences and skinfolds ) and physical fitness variables ( dynamic and isometric force , anaerobic capacity and maximal aerobic power ) were determined in all subjects . Results : Both groups had comparable body sizes at the start and the end of the study . Body mass index increased with growth more in the PA than in the non-PA group ( P<0.05 ) . However , fat mass accumulation with growth was lower in the PA than in the non-PA ( P<0.05 ) . There was a positive relationship between the increment of total and trunkal fat mass , especially in non-active children ( r 2=0.93 ) . In contrast , there was an inverse relationship between the total lean mass growth and the accumulation of total and regional fat mass ( r=−0.37 to −0.41 , all P<0.05 ) . Physical fitness was maintained in the PA , while it worsened in the non-PA children . Conclusions : Without any dietary intervention , children who regularly participate in at least 3 h per week of sports activities are more protected against total and regional fat mass accumulation . They also increase their total lean and bone mass to a greater extent than children who do not participate in extracurricular sport activities . In addition , PA children maintain their physical fitness during growth , while it deteriorates in the non-PA children PURPOSE The objectives of this study were to examine 1 ) whether changes in total physical activity  ( PA ; counts per minute , cpm ) and time spent in moderate to vigorous PA ( MVPA ) are associated with changes in adiposity and 2 ) whether energy intake influences the relationship between changes in PA and changes in adiposity in overweight Hispanic adolescents . METHODS Analysis included 38 overweight ( body mass index , > 85th percentile ) Hispanic adolescents with complete pretest and posttest data on relevant variables after participating in a 16-wk intervention . The intervention treatment did not influence PA , so the sample was combined and the r and omization group was adjusted for in the analysis . Body composition by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry , 7-d PA by accelerometry , and dietary intake by 3-d diet records were assessed before and after intervention . RESULTS Within individuals , the mean increase of PA ( n = 19 ) and mean decrease of PA ( n = 19 ) was approximately 105 cpm . A 100-cpm increase in total PA was associated with a decrease of 1.3 kg of fat mass and 0.8 % body fat after adjusting for pretest adiposity , PA , age , sex , and treatment ( P < 0.05 ) . Controlling for energy intake modestly strengthened the relationships between total PA and fat mass and percent body fat . Changes in MVPA were not related to changes in adiposity after controlling for total PA ( P > 0.05 ) . CONCLUSIONS Increasing total PA  by 28 % ( 100 cpm ) was associated with a decrease of 1.4 kg of fat mass and 1 % body fat for 16 wk in overweight Hispanic adolescents independent of intervention group assignment . Increases in total PA , compared with MVPA , may be sufficient to improve body composition in overweight Hispanic adolescents Background Globally , efforts aim ed at the prevention of childhood obesity have led to the implementation of a range of school-based interventions . This study assessed whether augmenting physical activity ( PA ) within the school setting result ed in increased daily PA and decreased overweight/obesity levels in 6 - 9-year-old children . Methods Across the first to third primary school years , PA of 84 girls and 92 boys was objective ly monitored five times ( each for seven successive days ) using Yamax pedometer ( step counts ) and Caltrac accelerometer ( activity energy expenditure AEE - kcal/kg per day ) . Four schools were selected to participate in the research ( 2 intervention , 2 controls ) , comprising intervention ( 43 girls , 45 boys ) and control children ( 41 girls , 47 boys ) . The study was non-r and omized and the intervention schools were selected on the basis of existing PA-conducive environment . Analyses of variance ( ANOVA ) for repeated measures examined the PA programme and gender effects on the step counts and AEE . Logistic regression ( Enter method ) determined the obesity and overweight occurrence prospect over the course of implementation of the PA intervention . Results There was a significant increase of school-based PA during schooldays in intervention children ( from ≈ 1718 to ≈ 3247 steps per day ; and from 2.1 to ≈ 3.6 Kcal/Kg per day ) in comparison with the control children .  Increased school-based PA  of intervention children during schooldays contributed to them achieving > 10,500 steps and > 10.5 Kcal/Kg per school day across the 2 years of the study , and result ed in a stop of the decline in PA levels that is known to be associated with the increasing age of children .  Increased school-based PA  had also positive impact on leisure time PA of schooldays and on PA at weekends of intervention children . One year after the start of the PA intervention , the odds of being overweight or obese in the intervention children was almost three times lower than that of control children ( p < 0.005 ) , and these odds steadily decreased with the duration of the intervention . Conclusions The findings suggest that school-based PA ( Physical Education lessons , PA during short breaks and longer recesses , PA at after-school nursery ) in compatible active environments ( child-friendly gym and school playground , corridors with movement and playing around corners and for games ) has a vital role in obesity and overweight reduction among younger pupils OBJECTIVES : The objective of this study was to evaluate a 12-session home/community-based health promotion/obesity prevention program ( Challenge ! ) on changes in BMI status , body composition , physical activity , and diet . METHODS : A total of 235 black adolescents ( aged 11–16 years ; 38 % overweight/obese ) were recruited from low-income urban communities . Baseline measures included weight , height , body composition , physical activity ( PA ) , and diet . PA was measured by 7-day play-equivalent physical activity ( ≥1800 activity counts per minute ) . Participants were r and omly assigned to health promotion/obesity prevention that is anchored in social cognitive theory and motivational interviewing and was delivered by college-aged black mentors or to control . Postintervention ( 11 months ) and delayed follow-up ( 24 months ) evaluations were conducted . Longitudinal analyses used multilevel models with r and om intercepts and generalized estimating equations , controlling for baseline age/gender . Stratified analyses examined baseline BMI category . RESULTS : Retention was 76 % over 2 years ; overweight/obese status declined 5 % among intervention adolescents and increased 11 % among control adolescents . Among overweight/obese youth , the intervention reduced total percentage of body fat and fat mass and increased fat-free mass at delayed follow-up and increased play-equivalent physical activity at postintervention but not at delayed follow-up . Intervention adolescents declined significantly more in snack/dessert consumption than control adolescents at both follow-up evaluations . CONCLUSIONS : At postintervention , there were intervention effects on diet and PA but not BMI category or body composition . At delayed follow-up , dietary changes were sustained and the intervention prevented an increase in BMI category . Body composition was improved for overweight/obese youth . Changes in body composition follow changes in diet and PA and may not be detected immediately after intervention BACKGROUND It is unclear how moderate and vigorous intensities of physical activity ( PA ) are associated with cardiovascular fitness ( CVF ) and percentage of body fat ( % BF ) in adolescents . OBJECTIVE We tested the hypothesis that vigorous PA , to a greater degree than moderate PA , would be associated with better CVF and lower % BF . DESIGN This was a cross-sectional study of 421 black and white high school students ( x age : 16 y ) .  PA was measured with 5 d of accelerometry and expressed in min/d of moderate or vigorous PA .  CVF was measured with a multistage treadmill test and was expressed as the oxygen consumption at a heart rate of 170 bpm . % BF was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry . Multiple regressions were used to determine the degree to which variance in CVF and % BF was explained by PA , after control for age , sex , race , and the sex x race interaction . RESULTS A higher index for CVF was associated with higher amounts of moderate and vigorous PA ;  more variance was explained by vigorous than by moderate PA .  Lower % BF was associated with higher amounts of vigorous PA but not with the amount of moderate PA . CONCLUSION Black and white adolescents who engaged in relatively large amounts of free-living vigorous exercise were likely to be relatively fit and lean Objective To examine whether physical activity ( PA ) and sedentary time ( ST ) in primary school-aged children are associated with adiposity at the start of secondary school , and whether these associations differ by sex or ethnic group . Design Nationally representative prospect i ve cohort study . Setting Children born across the UK , between 2000 and 2002 . Participants 6497 singleton children . Outcome measures Measures of adiposity ( body mass index ( BMI ) , fat mass index ( FMI ) and fat free mass index (FFMI))—obtained at 7 and 11 years . Explanatory measures  Total daily PA ( mean counts per minute ( cpm ) ) ; minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA ( MVPA ) ; and ST .  All assessed at 7 years using accelerometers . Results In cross-sectional analyses , total PA was inversely associated with FMI ( 3.7 % ( 95 % CI 2.7 % to 4.7 % ) reduction per 150 cpm increase ) , as was MVPA ( 4.2 % ( CI 3.2 % to 5.2 % ) reduction per 20 min/day increase ) . Associations were stronger in black and South Asian ethnic groups . Total PA and MVPA were not associated with FFMI . ST was positively associated with FMI ( 1.3 % ( CI 0.2 % to 2.3 % ) increase per 50 min/day increase ) and inversely associated with FFMI ( 0.5 % ( CI 0.2 % to 0.7 % ) reduction per 50 min/day increase ) . Longitudinally , MVPA at age 7 years remained inversely associated with FMI at age 11 years ( 1.5 % ( CI 0.4 % to 2.6 % ) reduction per 20 min/day increase ) . No association was found between total PA and ST and any of the later adiposity measures . Conclusions 7-year-old children who are more physically active are less likely to be obese at that age and at age 11 years . These associations were particularly evident in children from black or South Asian ethnicity at age 7 years and in boys at age 11 years . Measurements of fat mass provide valuable insights into ethnic differences in associations between adiposity and activity AIM Increasing prevalence of obesity and related diseases especially in children and adolescent has gained more scientific attention . The present study was conducted to determine the effects of regular exercise on childhood obesity often associated with clinical conditions such as hypertension , dyslipidemia and diabetes already at a young age . METHODS The subjects were 40 obese children at 11 ± 1 years and with Body Mass Index ( BMI ) of at least 30 kg/m2 who volunteered to the study and r and omly classified into exercising and non-exercising control group . Physical load of the exercising group was first determined by the Karvonen protocol after which to the subjects underwent a 12-week aerobic exercise training program primary consisting of walking and jogging exercise . Blood pressure , biochemical cardiovascular risk factors and body composition were assessed before and after the exercise-training period and compared to the non-exercising control group . RESULTS In the exercising group , statistically significant changes were observed in the circumference of forearm , elbow , calf , knee , waist , chest and hip , as well as skin fold thickness of chest , subscapulae , calf , abdomen , suprailiac and leg . Similarly , total cholesterol , triglyceride , LDL , VLDL and insulin levels were found to be lower and HDL levels higher than in the non-exercising control group . CONCLUSION While treating obesity in children , a major emphasis should be directed towards increasing regular physical activity and supported with dietary interventions . By this approach the risk of other chronic diseases often associated with obesity could be minimized thereby improving the quality of life Background Childhood obesity is the result of a long lasting imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure . A major contributing factor is physical inactivity which is closely linked to bone health , cardiovascular disease risk , fitness and psychological factors . The school seems to provide an excellent setting to enhance levels of  physical activity ( PA ) .  However , there is insufficient data from previous school-based intervention trials on how to enhance overall PA . It is also unknown whether an intervention aim ed at increasing PA is effective in improving the children 's health . The purpose of this paper is to outline the design of a school-based r and omized , controlled trial ( RCT ) aim ing to increase overall PA and to improve fitness and health in 6- to 13-year-old children . Methods / Design 15 schools were r and omized to the intervention ( n = 9 ) or the control ( n = 6 ) group , stratified by geographic region ( urban vs. rural ) and by age ( 1st and 5th grade ) . Participation was given for all children in the intervention group since in this group the intervention was part of the normal school curriculum . The intervention during one academic year consisted of : 1 . two additional physical education classes per week given by trained physical education teachers adding up to a total of five PA classes per week , 2 . short PA breaks ( 2–5 min each ) during academic lessons , 3 . PA home work , and 4 . adaptation of recreational areas around the school . All children underwent  anthropometric measurements , blood pressure assessment , fitness testing , measurement of PA  and they filled out question naires . At least 70 % of all children agreed to blood sampling and measurements of body composition and bone mineral measurements by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry . The primary endpoints of the study after one year were an increase in total PA by accelerometry , an increase in aerobic fitness measured by the 20 m shuttle run , a decrease in percent body fat derived from skinfold measurements and an increase in quality of life as assessed by the child health question naire in the intervention group compared to the control group . Secondary outcomes were overall fitness , differences in body composition including body fat distribution , cardiovascular risk factors , psychosocial health , bone mineral content and density of femur , lumbar spine and total body and food intake . Discussion Our preliminary data suggest that the children were representative of Swiss children with respect to sex , socio-demographic status , and body mass index . Short-term results can be expected by the beginning of 2007 . We hypothesized that our intervention will lead to an increase in PA , fitness and overall health . Based on our data , we aim to provide important information regarding the influence of such an intervention on these outcome measures in school-aged children and to provide nationwide guidelines to improve PA in children INTRODUCTION This study evaluated whether intervening with child care providers would increase physical activity ( PA )  and reduce adiposity in preschoolers . METHODS This was a two-arm , parallel group , cluster RCT whereby six child care centers were r and omly assigned in equal numbers to intervention ( n=40 children ) or control ( n=43 children ) . Participants were aged 3 - 5 years and attended licensed child care centers . Child care providers received two 3-hour train-the-trainer workshops and a training manual at program initiation aim ed at increasing structured and unstructured PA through active play . Control child care centers implemented their st and ard curriculum .  PA and sedentary behavior were measured by accelerometry , and body composition was measured using bioelectrical impedance at baseline and 6 months . Data were collected in 2011 - 2012 and analyzed in April 2015 . RESULTS Linear mixed-effects modeling showed that at 6 months , children in the intervention group demonstrated greater increases in minutes per preschool day spent in overall PA ( 22.5 minutes , 95 % CI=8.9 , 36.1 , p=0.002 ) , and light-intensity PA ( 16.1 minutes , 95 % CI=5.2 , 26.7 , p=0.004 ) , but changes between groups in moderate to vigorous PA did not differ . The intervention group showed greater reductions in body fat percentage ( -1.9 % , 95 % CI=-3.5 , -0.3 , p=0.023 ) and fat mass ( -0.3 kg , 95 % CI=-0.7 , -0.1 , p=0.018 ) , but groups did not differ on fat-free mass , BMI , or z- BMI . CONCLUSIONS Provider-led intervention in child care centers increased preschoolers '  PA and reduced adiposity , therefore may represent a viable approach to promoting PA and related health benefits in preschool-aged children . TRIAL REGISTRATION This study is registered at www . clinical trials.gov NCT02293278 OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of a comprehensive physical activity ( PA ) promotion programme in elementary schools on children 's total PA levels , leisure-time PA , physical fitness and psychosocial correlates of PA . DESIGN A pre-test-post-test design over two school years . SETTING AND SUBJECTS Sixteen elementary schools ( 764 children , mean age : 11.2 + /- 0.7 years ) were r and omly assigned to the intervention condition ( n = 8) and the control condition ( n = 8) . The intervention included a health-related physical education programme , an extracurricular PA promotion programme and classroom-based PA education lessons . In the total sample , leisure-time PA , psychosocial correlates of PA and physical fitness were measured using a PA question naire and the Eurofit test battery . In a sub- sample , total PA levels were measured using an accelerometer . RESULTS According to accelerometer data , children 's moderate PA and moderate-to-vigorous PA ( MVPA ) levels decreased less in the intervention schools than in the control schools ( P < 0.01 ) . The average time spent on MVPA decreased by 9 min per day in the intervention schools compared with 33 min per day in the control schools . Children in the intervention schools reported significantly more moderate PA in leisure time than the controls ( P < 0.05 ) . No overall improvement of physical fitness and no effects on the psychosocial correlates of PA were found . CONCLUSIONS The comprehensive PA promotion programme was successful in preventing a decline in children 's  total activity levels . Furthermore , the intervention increased children 's PA engagement in leisure time . Therefore , implementation needs to be encouraged Background Little is known about the concurrent change in  physical activity ( PA )  ,  sedentary behavior ( SB ) and  sport participation  ( SP ) during adolescence . The main purpose of this prospect i ve and partly objective study was to simultaneously investigate PA , SBs and SP changes between the 1st and 2nd grade s of high school in urban adolescents . Methods In this 1-year follow-up study , the participants were 81 secondary -school students ( 28 boys and 53 girls ) aged 15.5 years at the baseline .  PA was assessed with the SenseWear Armb and multi-sensor activity monitor , while SBs were assessed by using School Health Action , Planning and Evaluation System ( SHAPES ) PA question naire . The SHAPES question naire was supplemented with two questions inquiring about SP in organized sports in school and outside of school . Results PA decreased markedly in both genders between the 1st and 2nd grade s of high school . Total energy expenditure ( TEE ) was reduced by 13 kcal/kg/day on average in boys and by 10 kcal/kg/day in girls ( p for both < 0.001 ) , while mean daily active energy expenditure ( AEE ) decreased by 7 kcal/kg/day ( p < 0.001 ) and 3 kcal/kg/day ( p = 0.04 ) in boys and girls , respectively . Similarly , the amount of moderate PA declined by 49 min/day in boys and 21 min/day in girls ( p for both < 0.001 ) . At the same time vigorous PA was cut by 14 min/day ( p < 0.001 ) and 3 min/day ( p = 0.003 ) in boys and girls , respectively . Conversely , time spent in SBs did not show any change . Conclusion In conclusion , a decline in PA between the 1st and 2nd grade s of high school was marked but was not accompanied with an increase in SBs . Policies aim ed at increasing PA should be targeting the period of entering secondary school to offset the observed drop in PA OBJECTIVES To evaluate the relationship between changes in  physical activity ( PA ) , sedentary behavior , and physical self-perceptions and global self-worth in 30 , 8 - 12 years old , overweight/obese children ( 13 boys , 17 girls ) . METHODS Secondary analyses from a r and omized controlled trial design ed to increase PA and reduce sedentary behavior . PA was measured by accelerometers worn by participants every day for 8 weeks .  Sedentary behavior , defined as minutes per day spent in television viewing , was assessed by self-report . RESULTS Increases in PA were associated with increases in perceived physical conditioning ( r = .54 , p < .01 ) , body satisfaction ( r = .55 , p < .01 ) , and overall physical self-worth ( r = .44 , p < .05 ) independent of changes in body mass index ( BMI ) . Reductions in TV viewing were also related to increased physical and global self-worth . CONCLUSIONS Increases in PA are associated with improvements in physical self-perceptions but not global self-worth , while reductions in TV viewing are associated with increased physical and global self-worth , and these psychosocial benefits appear to be independent of changes in adiposity Background Less than 45 % of U.S. children meet the 60 min.d-1 physical activity ( PA ) guideline . Structured after-school PA programing is one approach to help increase activity levels . This study aim ed to evaluate the feasibility and short-term impact of a supervised after-school PA and nutrition education program on activity levels . Methods Forty-two 3rd-5th grade rs from an inner-city school in Boston , MA were r and omly assigned to a 10-wk after-school program of either : 1 ) weekly nutrition education  , or 2 ) weekly nutrition education plus supervised PA 3 d.wk-1 at a community-based center . At baseline and follow-up , PA was measured using accelerometry and fitness ( VO2max ) was estimated using the PACER 15-m shuttle run . Additional measures obtained were non-fasting finger stick total cholesterol ( TC ) and glucose levels , waist circumference ( WC ) , body mass index ( BMI ) , percent body fat ( % BF ) , and blood pressure ( BP ) . Values are presented as mean±SE , unless noted otherwise . Results Thirty-six participants completed the study ( mean±SD ; age 9.7±0.9 years ) . Participants attended > 80 % of the sessions . After adjusting for accelerometer wear time and other design factors , light and moderate-to-vigorous PA ( MVPA ) increased in the nutrition+PA group ( + 21.5±14.5 and + 8.6±8.0 min.d-1 , respectively ) and decreased in the nutrition only group ( -35.2±16.3 and -16.0±9.0 min.d-1 , respectively ) ; mean difference between groups of 56.8±21.7 min.d-1 ( light PA , p = 0.01 ) and 24.5±12.0 min.d-1 ( MVPA , p = 0.04 ) . Time spent in sedentary behaviors declined in the nutrition+PA group ( -14.8±20.7 min.d-1 ) and increased in the nutrition only group ( + 55.4±23.2 min.d-1 ) ; mean difference between groups of -70.2±30.9 min.d-1 ( p = 0.02 ) . Neither group showed changes in TC , BP , WC , % BF , BMI percentile , or fitness ( p>0.05 ) . Conclusions The supervised afterschool community-based nutrition and PA program was well accepted and had high attendance . The changes in light PA and MVPA has potential to promote weight maintenance in inner-city elementary school children , however longer term studies with larger sample s are needed . Trial Registration Clinical Trials.gov OBJECTIVES The aim of our study was to assess geometric and functional changes of the heart in obese compared with nonobese children and adolescents . BACKGROUND Obesity in children and adolescents has increased over the past decades and is considered a strong risk factor for future cardiovascular morbidity and mortality . Obesity has been associated with myocardial structural alterations that may influence cardiac mechanics . METHODS We prospect ively recruited 61 obese ( 13.5 ± 2.7 years of age , 46 % male sex , SD score body mass index , 2.52 ± 0.60 ) and 40 nonobese ( 14.1 ± 2.8 years of age , 50 % male sex , SD score body mass index , -0.33 ± 0.83 ) consecutive , nonselected Caucasian children and adolescents . A st and ardized 2-dimensional ( 2D ) echocardiography and 2D speckle-tracking analysis was performed in all children .  Furthermore , blood chemistry including lipid and glucose metabolism was assessed in all children . RESULTS Compared with nonobese children , blood pressure , low-density lipoprotein cholesterol , and parameters of glucose metabolism were significantly increased in obese children , whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly lower . Compared with nonobese children , obese children were characterized by enlarged left- and right-sided cardiac chambers , thicker left ventricular walls , and , consequently , increased left ventricular mass . Despite a comparable left ventricular ejection fraction , decreased tissue Doppler-derived peak systolic velocity and regional basoseptal strain were found in obese children compared with nonobese children . Beyond that , 2D speckle tracking-derived longitudinal ( -18.2 ± 2.0 vs. -20.5 ± 2.3 , p < 0.001 ) and circumferential ( -17.0 ± 2.7 vs. -19.5 ± 2.9 , p < 0.001 ) strain of the left ventricle was reduced in obese children compared with nonobese children . Diastolic function was also impaired in obese compared with nonobese children . Both longitudinal strain and circumferential strain were independently associated with obesity . CONCLUSIONS The results of this study demonstrate that childhood obesity is associated with significant changes in myocardial geometry and function , indicating an early onset of potentially unfavorable alterations in the myocardium Background : Population -based studies directed at promoting physical activity in youth have shown limited success in obesity prevention . Objective : To assess whether an intervention integrating environmental changes to induce sustained changes in physical activity , prevents overweight in adolescents . Design : Four-year r and omized trial started in 2002 in eight middle schools of Eastern France . The intervention , r and omized at school level , was design ed to promote physical activity by changing attitudes through debates and attractive activities , and by providing social support and environmental changes encouraging physical activity . Subjects : Nine hundred and fifty four 12-year-old six- grade rs . Measurements : Body mass index ( BMI ) , body composition , physical activity by question naire , plasma lipids and glucose , insulin resistance . Results : Intervention students had a lower increase in BMI ( P=0.01 ) and age- and gender-adjusted BMI ( P<0.02 ) over time than controls . The differences across groups of the age- and gender-adjusted BMI changes ( 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) ) were −0.29 ( −0.51 ; −0.07 ) kg/m2 at 3 years , −0.25 ( −0.51 ; 0.01 ) kg/m2 at 4 years . An interaction with baseline weight status was noted . The intervention had a significant effect throughout the study in initially non-overweight adolescents ( −0.36 ( −0.60;−0.11 ) kg/m2 for adjusted BMI at 4 years ) , corresponding to a lower increase in fat mass index ( P<0.001 ) . In initially overweight adolescents , the differences observed across groups at 2 years ( –0.40 ( −0.94 ; 0.13 ) kg/m2 for adjusted BMI ) did not persist over time . At 4 years , 4.2 % of the initially non-overweight adolescents were overweight in the intervention schools , 9.8 % in the controls ( odds ratio=0.41 ( 0.22 ; 0.75 ) ; P<0.01 ) . Independent of initial weight status , compared with controls , intervention adolescents had an increase in supervised physical activity ( P<0.0001 ) , a decrease of TV/video viewing ( P<0.01 ) and an increase of high-density cholesterol concentrations ( P<0.0001 ) . Conclusion : Enhancing physical activity with a multilevel program prevents excessive weight gain in non-overweight adolescents . Our study provides evidence that prevention of obesity in youth is feasible Background : Physical activity ( PA ) and sedentary time ( SED ) have both been suggested as potential risk factors for adiposity in children . However , there is paucity of data examining the temporal associations between these variables . Objective : This study aim ed to analyze the cross-sectional and prospect i ve associations between PA , SED and body composition in children . Methods : A total of 510 children ( age at baseline 10.1±0.8 , age at follow-up 11.8±0.9 ) from six Portuguese schools from the Oeiras Municipality participated in this study .  PA and SED were measured by accelerometry and trunk fat mass ( TFM ) and body fat mass ( BFM )  were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry .  Fat mass index ( FMI ) was calculated as BFM divided by height squared . Several regression models adjusted for age , sex , maturity status , follow-up duration , baseline levels of the outcome variable and SED or moderate to vigorous PA ( MVPA ) were performed . Results : MVPA ( min per day ) was cross-sectionally inversely associated with adiposity indexes ( FMI , TFM and BFM ) . Adiposity indexes were inversely associated with time in MVPA . In prospect i ve analyses , MVPA was associated with a lower levels of FMI ( β=−0.37 , 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) : −0.49 to −0.26 , P<0.001 ) , TFM ( β=−0.20 , 95 % CI : −0.29 to −0.10 , P<0.001 ) and BFM ( β=−0.37 , 95 % CI : −0.49 to −0.26 , P<0.001 ) . When the model was adjusted for age , sex , maturity status and for baseline levels of the outcome variables MVPA remained a significant predictor of lower adiposity indexes ( FMI : β=−0.09 , 95 % CI : −0.16 to −0.01 , P<0.05 ; TFM : β=−0.08 , 95 % CI : −0.15 to −0.01 , P<0.05 ; BFM : β=−0.07 , 95 % CI : −0.15 to 0.00 , P<0.05 ) . Adiposity was not associated  with MVPA when modeled as the exposure in prospect i ve analyses . SED was not related with adiposity indexes , except for the relationship with FMI . Conclusions : In cross-sectional and prospect i ve analyses , MVPA is associated with lower adiposity independent of covariates and SED . Results suggest that promoting MVPA is important for preventing gain in adiposity in healthy children
The review was registered ( Number CRD42013004632 ) on PROSPERO , the International Prospect i ve Register of Systematic Review s. Results The results indicated that PA is associated with significant and beneficial changes in fat percentage , waist circumference , systolic blood pressure , insulin , low-density lipoprotein cholesterol , and total cholesterol , as well as with small non-significant changes in diastolic blood pressure , glucose , and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol .
Conclusion Although limited , results from controlled trials suggest that PA intervention may improve physical fitness and risk factors for cardiovascular disease in adolescents who are overweight or obese
Background The increasing prevalence of obesity in the pediatric age range has become a major concern .
Studies have investigated the role of physical activity ( PA ) to prevent obesity in this population .
However , previous review s did not focus on the effects of PA in overweight/obese adolescents on physical fitness and risk factors for cardiovascular disease altogether .
Objective The present systematic review analyzed trials investigating the effect of PA on aerobic capacity , muscle strength , body composition , hemodynamic variables , biochemical markers , and endothelial function in obese/overweight adolescents .