Outcome of an exercise and educational intervention for children who are overweight.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcome of an education- and exercise-based intervention for children who are overweight.


METHODS
Forty-one children with a mean age of 10.5 years participated in the study. The eight-week intervention, scheduled twice weekly, included education and exercise components. Outcome measures included body mass index (BMI), waist and hip girth, blood pressure (BP), resting heart rate (RHR), immediate postexercise heart rate (HRfinish), five-minute recovery heart rate (5minHR), and distance walked in six minutes. Using a repeated-measures design, data were collected twice prior to intervention to determine baseline and once upon completion of the intervention.


RESULTS
No significant difference existed between pretest I and II measures for each dependent variable, indicating a stable baseline. An intervention effect was established as evidenced by significant improvement in BMI, waist and hip girth, BP, RHR, HRfinish, and 5minHR at posttest.


CONCLUSIONS
Children who are overweight and participate in an eight week exercise and educational program demonstrate improved morphology and physical conditioning.
Taylor
Mary Jean
MJ
Department of Physical Therapy, Daemen College, 4380 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14226, USA. mtaylor@daemen.edu
Mazzone
Margaret
M
Wrotniak
Brian H
BH
D000293:Adolescent; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010809:Physical Fitness; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome