Pulmonary function during exercise in obese children.
BACKGROUND
Obesity imposes additional stress to ventilation during exercise. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the pulmonary function changes with graded exercise and the habitual level of physical activity in obese children.


METHODS
This study recruited 42 obese and 10 normal students, aged 11, from Tamsui Elementary School. Measurements of cardiopulmonary fitness were recorded after a jump rope test. Height, weight and body mass indices were determined before testing.


RESULTS
A significant correlation was found between triceps skin-fold thickness and the body mass index (BMI; r = 0.65, p < 0.05). Blood systolic pressure significantly increased in the obese subjects in their post-exercise test. There was no significant difference between the obese and the non-obese groups in any of the lung function test measurements. Forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were similar in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Physiologic responses are not sufficiently different from between the obese subjects and the non-obese children. We should pay more attention to fostering confidence in the obese child exercise.
Tang
R B
RB
Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 112, Taiwan. rbtang@vghtpe.gov.tw
Chao
T
T
Chen
S J
SJ
Lai
C C
CC
D002675:Child, Preschool; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*