title: Cardiovascular effects of 3 months of football training in overweight children examined by comprehensive echocardiography: a pilot study.
abstract: We examined effects of a 3-month football training programme in overweight children using comprehensive echocardiography and peripheral arterial tonometry. Twenty preadolescent overweight children (17 boys, 3 girls aged 8-12 yrs; body mass index [BMI] ≥ 85(th) percentile) participated in a structured 3-month football training programme, consisting of 4 weekly 60-90 min sessions with mean heart rate (HR) > 80% of HRmax (football group, FG). A parallel control group (CG) included 11 children (7 boys, 4 girls) of equivalent age from an obesity clinic. After 3 months, systolic blood pressure was unchanged in FG, but had increased in CG (112 [s 6] vs. 122 [10] mmHg, P = 0.02). FG demonstrated increased left ventricular (LV) posterior wall diameter (0.60 [0.07] vs. 0.68 [0.10] cm, P < 0.001) and an improved right ventricular systolic function determined by tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE, 2.01 [0.29] vs. 2.27 [0.28] cm, P = 0.003). Measures of LV systolic function showed only discrete alterations and two-dimensional (2D) global strain was not changed. After 3 months, global isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRTglobal) had increased in FG (64.0 [7.5] vs. 73.9 [9.4] ms, P < 0.001) while other examined LV diastolic function variables were not altered. No echocardiographic changes were observed in CG. Between-group differences in pre-post delta values were observed for systolic blood pressure, TAPSE, and IVRTglobal (P = 0.02-0.03). We conclude that short-term football training may have positive structural and functional effects on the cardiovascular system in overweight preadolescent children.
authors.affiliation: Gentofte Hospital, Cardiology, Niels Andersensvej 65, Hellerup, DK, 2900, Denmark. prh@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Peter Riis
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Lars Juel
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: António Natal
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Rebelo
authors.forename: Joao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: Therese
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hornstrup
authors.forename: Jakob Friis
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Sarah R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Jackman
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rêgo
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seabra
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krustrup
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002648:Child; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005538:Football; D006339:Heart Rate; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human / Q000379:methods / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology*; D014261:Tricuspid Valve