title: Effects of physical exercises and nutritional guidance on the cardiovascular risk profile of obese children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the effects of a supervised physical exercise and nutritional guidance program, conducted with a playful basis, on the cardiovascular risk profile of obese children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-four children aged between 8 and 11 years, divided into two groups, were paired by gender and age: intervention group (n = 22) and control group (n = 22). The following parameters were measured before and after the intervention: body mass, height, waist circumference, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, blood pressure, and carotid intima-media thickness. Both groups continued their traditional medical treatment. The case group exercised with recreational activities three times a week during 12 weeks, and participated in a weekly nutritional guidance session. The control group did not participate in the intervention described. Descriptive statistics, paired and unpaired Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney's U test, and the Wilcoxon test were used, with a significance level of p < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  32 children concluded the study (16 in each group). At the end of the study, the case group showed a significant reduction in the body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.001), total cholesterol (p = 0.001), LDL cholesterol (p = 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.010), and average (p = 0.003) and maximum (p = 0.002) carotid intima-media thickness. The control group showed a significant increase in waist circumference (p = 0.001), blood glucose (p = 0.025), C-reactive protein (p = 0.016), a reduction of HDL cholesterol (p = 0.012) and total cholesterol (p = 0.042), and an increase in the average (p = 0.012) and maximum (p = 0.024) carotid intima-media thickness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The program proved effective in the reduction of obesity indicators and of the intima-media thickness, a direct and early signal of atherosclerosis.
authors: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil. lisianepoeta@hotmail.com
authors: Lisiane Schilling
authors: LS
authors: Poeta
authors: Maria de Fátima da Silva
authors: Mde F
authors: Duarte
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Caramelli
authors: Mota
authors: M
authors: Jorge
authors: Isabela de Carlos Back
authors: Ide C
authors: Giuliano
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D002648:Child; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol