Effects of 6-month soccer and traditional physical activity programmes on body composition, cardiometabolic risk factors, inflammatory, oxidative stress markers and cardiorespiratory fitness in obese boys

Abstract

Physical activity is important in obesity prevention, but the effectiveness of different physical activity modalities remains to be determined among children. The main purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a 6-month soccer programme and a traditional physical activity programme on changes in body composition, cardiometabolic risk factors, inflammatory and oxidative markers, cardiorespiratory fitness and perceived psychological status in obese boys. Eighty-eight boys (8-12 years; BMI > +2 standard deviations of WHO reference values) participated in one of three groups: soccer, traditional activity and control. Soccer and traditional activity programmes involved 3 sessions per week for 60-90 min at an average intensity of 70-80% of maximal heart rate. Control group participated in activities of normal daily living. All boys participated in school physical education, two sessions per week of 45-90-min. Measurements were taken at baseline and after 6 months, and included body size and composition, cardiometabolic risk factors, inflammatory and oxidative markers, cardiorespiratory fitness and perceived psychological status. Physical activity and dietary intake were assessed before and immediately following the intervention. The three groups had similar characteristics at baseline. After 6 months, both intervention groups had significantly lower relative fatness (% fat), waist circumference and total cholesterol, and higher cardiorespiratory fitness, self-esteem, perceived physical competence and attraction to physical activity compared with control group. In conclusion, physical activity interventions over 6 months positively influenced several indicators of health status among obese boys. The results also suggested that soccer has the potential as an effective tool for the prevention and reduction of childhood obesity and associated consequences.

Pediatric obesity treatment, self‐esteem, and body image: A systematic review with meta‐analysis

“…The age of participants ranged from four to 19 years. Most studies recruited male and female participants, six studies recruited females only, and one study recruited males only . One study did not report the distribution of gender .…”

“…Most studies reported the inclusion of a behavior modification component within the intervention. Five studies did not report the use of specific behavior change stategies . Behavior modification strategies included goal setting, problem solving, mindful eating, managing bullying and teasing, and parent role modelling.…”

“…The change in body image between pre‐intervention and postintervention was reported in 27 studies, between pre‐intervention and follow‐up in three studies, and 13 studies reported data at all three time points. Of the 40 studies reporting body image pre‐intervention and postintervention ranging in duration from 2 weeks to 24 months, body image was reported to be significantly improved compared with baseline in 22 studies, not significantly changed in 10 studies, five studies did not state whether or not the change was significant and three studies reported a significant improvement in one body image measure and no change in another.…”

Adiponectin, Inflammation and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Paediatric Obese Patients: Impact of Interventional Studies

“…The type of PE chosen, namely the training routines and intensity used, will influence the results obtained regarding the body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness and, consequently, adiponectin levels [94,106,107]. For instance, although improvements in visceral fat, BMI and dyslipidaemia were obtained by both aerobic training (AT) and aerobic combined with endurance training (AET), these changes were greater with AET, which also presented a significant increase in adiponectin and reduction of IR.…”

Bone tissue, blood lipids and inflammatory profiles in adolescent male athletes from sports contrasting in mechanical load

“…In fact, regular engagement in physical exercise (e.g., 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily) is recommended for youth to develop healthy musculoskeletal tissues, cardiovascular system, and to maintain healthy blood parameters and body weight [6]. A recent study compared the effects of a 6-month soccer programme and a traditional physical activity programme on changes in body composition, cardiometabolic, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, in parallel to measurements of cardiorespiratory fitness in obese boys [7]. After the intervention, both groups had significantly lower relative fatness and waist circumference, total cholesterol, and improved cardiorespiratory fitness.…”