title: Effects of group sports on health-related physical fitness of overweight youth: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: Group sports interventions have been developed to improve health-related physical fitness of overweight/obese youth. However, its benefits are not systematically documented. This study synthesizes the evidence about the effects of group sports on health-related physical fitness of overweight/obese youth. Pubmed, Web of Knowledge, Scopus, Medline, CINAHL, SportDiscus, and Academic Search Complete were searched in February 2016. Studies assessing the effects of group sports on body composition, cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle strength, flexibility, and neuromotor fitness of overweight/obese youth (aged <18 years) were included. Effect sizes (ES) were calculated with Cohen's d and its 95% confidence intervals (CI). Improvements were found in (i) body composition - percentage of fat body mass (pooled ES = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.24-1.10) and waist circumference (ES = 0.69; P = 0.004); (ii) cardiorespiratory endurance - peak oxygen consumption (pooled ES = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.13-0.92) and (iii) muscle strength - hand grip strength (ES = 0.72; P = 0.003). No significant effects were found for body mass index (pooled ES = 0.27; 95% CI = -0.14 to 0.69), percentage of lean body mass (ES = 0.01; P > 0.05), maximal power output (ES from 0 to 0.06; P > 0.05), sit-and-reach test (pooled ES = 0.26; 95% CI = -0.16 to 0.68) and agility test (ES = 0; P = 0.48). Group sports improve body composition, cardiorespiratory endurance, and hand grip strength of overweight/obese youth. Flexibility and neuromotor fitness do not seem to change following group sports.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Sports, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.|Lab 3R - Respiratory Research and Rehabilitation Laboratory, School of Health Sciences (ESSUA), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.|Institute for Research in Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Lab 3R - Respiratory Research and Rehabilitation Laboratory, School of Health Sciences (ESSUA), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ângela
authors.initials: Â
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.affiliation: Lab 3R - Respiratory Research and Rehabilitation Laboratory, School of Health Sciences (ESSUA), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jácome
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.|Department of Mathematics, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Afreixo
authors.affiliation: Lab 3R - Respiratory Research and Rehabilitation Laboratory, School of Health Sciences (ESSUA), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.|Institute for Research in Biomedicine (iBiMED), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Alda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marques
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001823:Body Composition; D000072599:Cardiorespiratory Fitness; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D053580:Muscle Strength; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010807:Physical Endurance; D010809:Physical Fitness; D013177:Sports; D055105:Waist Circumference
keywords: Team sports; adolescents; children; obese; physical fitness