Diet vs exercise for the prevention of pediatric obesity: the role of exercise

Abstract

As pediatric obesity is commonly viewed as the result of an excessively positive energy balance, preventive efforts typically emphasize reduction of energy intake, with increases in physical activity (PA) having a supporting role. However, recent research that has focused on body composition rather than weight has found that PA stimulates development of lean tissue rather than fat tissue. Preventive interventions that emphasize vigorous PA rather than restriction of energy intake can help youths to develop lean bodies, at the same time that they ingest sufficient amounts of the energy and accompanying nutrients needed for healthy growth.

A policy-driven multifaceted approach for early childhood physical fitness promotion: impacts on body composition and physical fitness in young Chinese children

“…However, obesity interventions targeted physical activity and physical fitness in children are often preferred since they are relatively straightforward mediators of energy balance and physical growth and pose no known harms [10,28-30]. Dietary interventions are more complex and difficult to implement partly due to the cost of healthier foods and food service regulations [27] and partly due to the fact that children are growing at fast rate and restrictive diet may lead to under-nutrition or malnutrition [31]. This is particular challenging in the developing countries where malnutrition and quality of nutrients in foods are still concerns.…”

Obesity Prevention in Children from Birth to Age 5

“…81 However as the child ages, a balance between stimulating exercise and eating appropriately needs to be found for each infant to prevent obesity occurrence. [138][139][140] Providers can advise parents to closely monitor their infant's feeding in infancy and not routinely offer food as a pacifier. In addition, guidelines for solid food introduction can be reviewed; hence, parents understand the importance of waiting until after 6 months of age to offer solid foods.…”

“…[96][97][98] Thus, physical activity by stimulating the development of lean tissue rather than fat tissue could be another way to prevent obesity. 99 Excessive television viewing time (2 hours per day) is associated with impaired childhood development and childhood obesity. 100,101 Television viewing is related to lower physical activity and lower bone mass accrual in toddlers.…”

“…120 Vigorous physical activity creates a high-energy metabolism that has relatively high levels of both energy intake and expenditure, which balance each other. 99,121 Thus, lean children consume more calories than children with higher fat mass to balance their energy expenditures during physical activity. 121 Data are mixed on the effects of parental education on children's active play.…”

Childhood obesity: a life-long health risk

“…Fortunately, health agencies have already begun to implement this need into their information policies provided to parents [12] with whom children spend the most time. If we succeed with this task of promoting, achieving, and maintaining health among children -including a regular "regimen" of physical exercise [16,87,88] -, this will ultimately reduce the number of tomorrow's patients and enable healthy aging at a low cardiovascular risk [89] .…”