Effects of a twelve-week randomized intervention of exercise and/or diet on weight loss and weight maintenance, and other metabolic parameters in obese preadolescent children.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the short- and long-term effects of intervention programs on body weight and cardiometabolic risk factors.


METHODS
162 obese children (6-11 years) were randomly assigned to three 12-week interventions with a 9-month follow-up period: exercise (E): 90 min moderate exercise 3 days/week (n = 52); diet (D): balanced hypocaloric diet, weekly meetings with dietician (n = 55), and diet + exercise (D+E) (n = 55). Changes in anthropometric variables, cardiometabolic profile and psychological outcome were assessed.


RESULTS
At 12 weeks BMI-SDS, cardiometabolic profiles, and psychological score improved in all groups. The decrease in BMI-SDS was greater in D and D+E compared with E (p < 0.001), without a significant difference between the first two groups. Waist circumference and LDL cholesterol decreased more in D+E compared with E (p = 0.026 and p = 0.038, respectively). The increase in adiponectin was greater in D and D+E compared with E (p = 0.004). Anthropometric and cardiometabolic variables regressed without significant differences between groups after 9 months. However, BMI-SDS, body fat percentage and LDL cholesterol were lower compared to baseline.


CONCLUSIONS
Diet alone or combined with exercise are the most effective short-term interventions for weight loss and improved cardiometabolic profiles, without a difference between them. In the long term, obese children need the long-term support of maintenance approaches.
Shalitin
S
S
The Jesse Z. and Lea Shafer Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, National Center for Childhood Diabetes, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, and Felsenstein Medical Research Center, 14 Kaplan Street, IL-49202 Petah Tikva, Israel. shalitin@netvision.net.il
Ashkenazi-Hoffnung
L
L
Yackobovitch-Gavan
M
M
Nagelberg
N
N
Karni
Y
Y
Hershkovitz
E
E
Loewenthal
N
N
Shtaif
B
B
Gat-Yablonski
G
G
Phillip
M
M
D001794:Blood Pressure; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*