Effect of physical activity intervention on body composition in young children: influence of body mass index status and gender

Abstract

Aim: To fight overweight and obesity in childhood, this study proposes an additional physical activity (PA) in young children aged 6-10 years. The objective was to evaluate the effect of school-based PA on the body composition according to body mass index (BMI) categories (nonobese vs. obese) and gender.Methods: This 6-month study examined the effect of this intervention on body composition in 425 children in 14 primary schools (2 weekly PA sessions of 1 h each) compared to 5 control schools.Adiposity indices were evaluated or calculated: BMI, BMI z-score, waist circumference, sum of skinfolds and fat-free mass.Results: No difference in the prevalence of obesity and anthropometric characteristics was found between the intervention and control groups at baseline. In girls, PA intervention had significant effect on all anthropometric variables (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001), except on BMI. In contrast, in boys only BMI z-score (p < 0.001) and fat-free mass (p < 0.001) were affected.Conclusions: Six months of preventive PA intervention offer an effective means to improve body composition in obese children. The pattern of response related to PA was similar between girls and boys. In contrast, the pattern was different according to BMI category, with a higher response in obese than nonobese children.

Atividade física e alimentação saudável em escolares brasileiros: revisão de programas de intervenção

“…Apesar de países norte-americanos e europeus produzirem diversos estudos 8,24,25,26 , principalmente Estados Unidos, Inglaterra e França, revisões sistemáticas recentes 8,27 também ressaltaram a pequena quantidade de trabalhos publicados sobre esse tema, mediante a sua relevância para a saúde pública 4,28 .…”

“…Vízcaíno et al 47 verificaram redução na adiposidade (IMC e dobra cutânea tricipital) de 513 crianças após seis meses em um programa de intervenção em atividade física (três aulas de 90 minutos por semana). Outro estudo 24 também verificou melhora na composição corporal, principalmente entre as crianças que apresentavam obesidade. Não obstante, trabalhos prévios que enfatizam a prática de atividade física como ações de intervenção para crianças e adolescentes obesos, também mostraram melhoria na composição corporal destes indivíduos 47,48,49 .…”

Effect of Lifestyle on Body Fat Percentage and Visceral Fat in Indian Women with Above Normal Body Mass Index

“…The table also shows that the fat and visceral fat was higher in the obese group when compared to the overweight group. Obesity treatment should aim at decreasing fat mass and increasing the physical activity is an important factor that promotes the loss of body fat mass (18) . It is also evident from the findings in this study that with increased duration of physical activity the fat and visceral fat was lower.…”

Morphological characteristic and nutritional status in seven-year-old girls

“…Највеће вредности имале су гојазне, затим следе прекомерно ухрањене док су нормално ухрањене имале најмање вредности. Утврђене разлике у морфолошким карактеристикама код семогодишњих девојчица различитог степена ухрањености су у сагласности, на директан или индиректан начин, са досадашњим истраживањима (Lazaar et al, 2007;Tokmakidis, Kasambalis, & Christodoulos, 2006;Deforche et al, 2003;Grund et al, 2000;Wells et al, 2006). Очекивано је да ће, у односу на нормално ухрањене, прекомерно ухрањене и гојазне испитанице услед прекомерне тежине тела и веће развијености адипозног ткива имати значајно веће вредности трансверзалне димензионалности скелета (посебно у пределу карлице и кукова), волуминозности тела и поткожног масног ткива.…”