title: Ball games and nutrition counseling improve postural control in overweight children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Motor skills are impaired in overweight children whose levels of physical activity are low and these children are more likely to sustain lower extremity injuries. The purpose of this study was to analyze prospectively in overweight children the influence of ball games and nutrition counseling on postural control.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 46 overweight children (age: 6-12 years, BMI: female: 25.2 ± 3.6 kg/m(2), male: 26.2 ± 2.8 kg/m(2) (mean value ± standard deviation) were examined prospectively in four randomized groups (ball games, nutrition counseling, ball games and nutrition counseling, and group without intervention) for six months. A one-legged standing test was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The children demonstrated improved postural control after six months of intervention: mean difference M1-M2 ± standard deviation: 5 ± 6 error points (p < 0.001, T = 4.906), whereas the control group without intervention did not show any significant improvement: 2 ± 8 error points (p = 0.357, T = 0.972).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ball games and nutrition counseling have a positive influence on postural control and therefore could help prevent injury.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01825174 . Registered April 2, 2013.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Center for Orthopedics, Trauma Surgery and Spinal Cord Injury Heidelberg, University Hospital, Schlierbacher Landstr. 200a, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany. benita@kuni.org.
authors.forename: Benita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kuni
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Center for Orthopedics, Trauma Surgery and Spinal Cord Injury Heidelberg, University Hospital, Schlierbacher Landstr. 200a, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany. nina.ruehling@gmx.de.
authors.forename: Nina Elisabeth
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Rühling
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sports and Sports Sciences, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 720, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. ulrike.hegar@sport.uni-freiburg.de.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hegar
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sports and Sports Sciences, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 720, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. christina.roth@issw.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Center for Orthopedics, Trauma Surgery and Spinal Cord Injury Heidelberg, University Hospital, Schlierbacher Landstr. 200a, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany. holger.schmitt@atos.de.
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmitt
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003376:Counseling; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011187:Posture; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011998:Recreation