Aerobic exercise and snoring in overweight children: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether regular aerobic exercise improves symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing in overweight children, as has been shown in adults.


METHODS
Healthy but overweight (BMI > or =85th percentile) 7- to 11-year-old children were recruited from public schools for a randomized controlled trial of exercise effects on diabetes risk. One hundred children (53% black, 41% male) were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 27), a low-dose exercise group (n = 36), or a high-dose exercise group (n = 37). Exercise groups underwent a 13 +/- 1.5 week after-school program that provided 20 or 40 minutes per day of aerobic exercise (average heart rate = 164 beats per minute). Group changes were compared on BMI z-score and four Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire scales: Snoring, Sleepiness, Behavior, and a summary scale, Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders. Analyses were adjusted for age.


RESULTS
Both the high-dose and low-dose exercise groups improved more than the control group on the Snoring scale. The high-dose exercise group improved more than the low-dose exercise and control groups on the summary scale. No group differences were found for changes on Sleepiness, Behavior, or BMI z-score. At baseline, 25% screened positive for sleep-disordered breathing; half improved to a negative screen after intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
Regular vigorous exercise can improve snoring, a symptom of sleep-disordered breathing, in overweight children. Aerobic exercise programs may be valuable for prevention and treatment of sleep-disordered breathing in overweight children.
Davis
Catherine L
CL
Georgia Prevention Institute, Medical College of Georgia, 1499 Walton Way, HS-1711, Augusta, GA 30912, USA. cadavis@mcg.edu
Tkacz
Joseph
J
Gregoski
Mathew
M
Boyle
Colleen A
CA
Lovrekovic
Gordana
G
D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D012913:Snoring / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome